The Olympic Fuwa airliner will fly as the cross-Taiwan Straits
non-stop charter flight during the upcoming Spring Festival
holidays, Air China Olympics working group officer Wang Tianyun
said Thursday.
Children are fascinated by
the Olympic Fuwa airliner unveiled by Air China in Beijing Monday,
November 13, 2006. The company, a partner of the 2008 Beijing
Olympic Games, is considering decorating two more aircraft with the
Olympic mascots to promote the Games. It adorned three aircraft
with the "Beijing 2008" logo last year. Air China has a fleet of
206 planes.
Wang confirmed that Air China will begin arranging round-trip
flights on the Olympic mascot airplane after it concludes its
initial eight-city flight, covering Shanghai, Chengdu, Qingdao and
Guangzhou.
But he did not reveal further details concerning the flight
schedule, saying that more details would come at the next press
conference slated for the middle of next January. Wang told
chinadaily.com.cn that Air China's general manager would attend the
January conference.
Olympic Air China, the only flight service partner of the 2008
Beijing Olympic Games will be the first charted airliner to promote
the Olympic spirit outside the Chinese?mainland.
The Olympic airliner, decorated with the official Fuwa mascots
in honor of the Olympic Games, began its country-wide virgin flight
schedule in November. The trek became the focus of the media
spotlight, with over 200 media organizations covering the issue in
over 6,000 news articles. Some lucky passengers were allowed to
take part in this special flight.
Because of Taipei's decades-old ban on direct links to the
Chinese?mainland in trade, transport and postal services,
passengers had to transfer in either Macao or Hong Kong when
traveling between the two.
In line with a landmark agreement reached between Taiwan and the
Chinese?mainland in June, charter flights have been extended
to cover other traditional Chinese holidays besides the Spring
Festival including the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-sweeping Day, and
Duanwu (Dragon Boat) Festival.
(China Daily December 15, 2006)
