China's General Administration of Civil Aviation (CAAC) has called off restrictions against red-eye flights and allowed the last flights to take off as late as 2:00 a.m., according to a new document.

The Beijing News Monday quoted the authority's document as saying that all airline companies in China will be allowed to permanently arrange night flights before 2:00 a.m. Ticket prices of these night flights will be 20 percent lower than that of normal flights.

But the aviation authority noted busy airports like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Kunming airports will still face limits in total flights every day for the sake of safety.

The six large airports will all be opened to international and regional flights, as well as freight flights during the 2:OO a.m.-6:00 a.m.period, said the CAAC document.

Total flights in Beijing will be limited to 1,100 every day, with 100 more flights added by the removal of the ban.

Industry insiders said allowing red-eye flights will help ease transport pressure in the Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou airports.

The CAAC stopped red-eye in May 2002 after China Northern Airlines crashed in Dalian, a coastal city in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The CAAC only allowed short-term open of night flights during the busy travel seasons in the following years.

The lifting of the ban of night flights was welcomed by China's travel agencies and tourists who believe there is a large market for red-eye flights.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2006)