hello there,
I was wondering if with these diplomatic changes in flight traffic between mainland china and taiwan there are any improvements to the international flight situation for taipei.
It has been two weeks of direct flights from taiwan to the prc, but I still can’t find any information about these flights on the airlines’ websites, left alone buy a ticket…
will china make it easier for international flights to reach taiwan? it would be so much faster and cheaper that way. Or will they treat taiwan as a domestic destination? Would you have to get a prc visa then if you fly via shanghai?
Anyone here who is into flight politics?
I was wondering if with these diplomatic changes in flight traffic between mainland china and taiwan there are any improvements to the international flight situation for taipei.
…
It has been two weeks of direct flights from taiwan to the prc, but I still can’t find any information about these flights on the airlines’ websites, left alone buy a ticket…
:s
will china make it easier for international flights to reach Taiwan?
it would be so much faster and cheaper that way. Or will they treat taiwan as a domestic destination?
:ohreally:
Would you have to get a prc visa then if you fly via shanghai? what do I know
Anyone here who is into flight politics? njet
i did go to a travel agency but they didnt know anything.
if you dont have to say anything why just dont leave it then. im thinking of a forum being a place to discuss stuff not to take fun out of people when they have an inquiry.
i couldnt find out what you were trying to say anyway.
They have to fly over Hong Kong airspace so you might as well go there.
Foreigners are not allowed, maybe. Or at least not welcome.
They’re stupidly expensive.
Any more reasons I left out?[/quote]
1)Flights bound for northern Chinese destinations do not have to go through Hong Kong airspace. Don’t know about southern destinations.
2)Foreigners are allowed.
3)They’re stupidly expensive.
Your questions are not clear enough and the situation is new and changing quickly so hard to tell fact from fiction. Still it is an important question, if international flights were cheaper to and fro Taiwan that would make life a lot easier for us. You need to divide your question as to if they are cross-strait flights or true international long haul flights.
Flights to China do not have to go over HK airspace anymore. They are currently at no discount to the old flights but they save 1 or 2 hours and the transit time of the old system. The prices SHOULD come down (less fuel, more airlines) and to me that is the important thing as least as much as direct flights but Taiwanese people are very ignorant that they have been getting completely ripped off up to now. For instance they seem incapable to compare a flight to Manila with Cebu airlines (also on a new airbus) with a flight to Shanghai, why is the Shanghai flight approx. 3 times the cost!
I don’t trust that the KMT and PRC and their business cronies won’t duopolise the situation.
As far as I know the flights are open to everybody, Taiwanese and foreigners.
There are other reasons that flights are expensive
a) Taiwan is not a hub for long haul flights in general, too many problems with flight space restrictions I guess. That means they have to send planes the extra trip here which adds cost due to them not being full and extra crew etc.
b) The demand is not very strong, for instance there used to be more flights to Europe but the diplomatic and business ties have receded and tourism didn’t take it’s place, they have even cancelled the Taoyuan-Paris route recently. Now there are very few direct flight routes to Europe and those that are are very expensive.
You are right, things are changing virtually everyday. Now there are flights to some Mainland cities that can be said to be cheap at less then 7000nt roundtrip. And there is talk of Chinese airlines offering flights to Europe and the UsA, and Oceania via transit in China for those originating from Taiwan. Everyone can take these flights provided you have the requisite visa (as needed). I hear Shanghai doesnt require a Chinese visa for transit but Beijing does (go figure).
Chinese scheduled flights have begun and they are opening up their own offices.
I think in six months to a year, there will be more stability and a clearer picture.
Over-all I do think that prices from Taiwan to/from USA, Europe, Oceania will head downwards with the increased competition from the Chinese carriers. The Taiwanese carriers wont have this cash cow all to themselves anymore. And of course they will look to pinch Chinese passengers by offering them these same flights with a transit in Taipei.
Passengers of any nationality transiting in a Taiwanese international airports like Taoyuan and Kaohsiung wont need a visa. But I wonder about SongShan though as currently there are no transit flights there. However, talk is that Songshan will start offering flights to Hong Kong, Macau, Seoul and Manila and some Japanese cities very soon as domestic traffic has collapsed and the Songshan airport is sitting pretty empty. If Songshan decides to revamp some of its facilities it will start offering wide body service as well (up to 777 and A340, A330). Currently some military depots occupy needed space. The runways can take widebody up to 747 (it did before). Currently flights are offered only on narrow body aircraft up to 757.
So to recap:
Scheduled service has begun between Taiwan and many Chinese cities
Anyone can take these flights with the requisite visa as appropriate
Ticket prices will likely head downwards and you will be able to buy these tickets easier with the opening of office by the Chinese carriers.
Taiwan/China flights to the northern parts of China have a new airway set up already and dont fly down to HK anymore.
Flights to southern China still skirt the HK airspace but this makes little difference to flight time in most cases.
Songshan will start flights to other Asian cities within 12 months to 24 months.
i did go to a travel agency but they didnt know anything.
if you dont have to say anything why just dont leave it then. im thinking of a forum being a place to discuss stuff not to take fun out of people when they have an inquiry.
i couldnt find out what you were trying to say anyway.
merry christmas![/quote]
Ah… guess if you come here you will get used to cynical expat stuff
Well, I have used German online ticket shops, no hassle there. Nobody knows Englishy ones?
what do I know
njet