Domestic flights become transferable for Expo

• Source: Global Times
• [14:57 March 01 2010]
• Comments

By Xu Huixian

Starting in April, passengers who depart from Shanghai airports will be able to exchange their flights for free on Chinese airlines.

The move is expected to serve the number of visitors expected for the upcoming 2010 World Expo, according to the East China Regional Administration of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Friday.

“Currently, such service only applies to flights between Shanghai and Beijing at Hongqiao airport with the five major airlines,” a staff member at Eastern Airlines’ switchboard told the Global Times.

The five airlines are Southern Airlines, Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Air China.

All endorsable air-tickets above can be changed to different airlines free of charge to another flight on the same day, based on an agreement reached by the five airlines for their flights between the two cities. 

“In practice, the volume of endorsable tickets, however, remains low,” the staff member added.

Even though the CAAC plan was aimed at providing more flexible flights, many doubt the feasibility of this plan.

“We need detailed operation rules and regulations, otherwise airlines are not going to transfer passengers to other airlines as they are competitors,” said Ellis Yao, a 30-year-old engineer in Shanghai who takes two to three flights a week.

Both Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and Pudong International Airport will increase their flight volume by 30 percent, 500 more flights, during the World Expo. To deal with airline transportation during the event, three airports in Hangzhou Zhejiang, Nanjing Jiangsu and Hefei Anhui have been chosen as backup airports, according to further comments from the CAAC on Friday.