First cross-strait weekend chartered flight takes off with mainland tourists

Source: Xinhua | 07-04-2008 08:05

GUANGZHOU, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The first cross-Strait weekend chartered flight from China's mainland to Taiwan took off at 6:31a.m. from Guangzhou, capital city of the southern Guangdong Province early Friday morning.

Mainland tourists greets each other before take off in Guangzhou, capital city of the southern Guangdong Province, July 4, 2008. The first cross-Strait weekend chartered flight from China's mainland to Taiwan took off at 6:31 a.m. from Guangzhou early Friday morning. (Xinhua Photo)

More than 100 mainland tourists aboard the Airbus A330 became the first group of people on a sight-seeing tour allowed to Taiwan amid warming cross-Strait ties. The flight has 258 passengers.

The historic flight by China Southern Airlines (CSA) is scheduled to land at Taipei Taoyuan Airport in Taiwan at 8:10 a.m. after a 1,124-km journey.

"I have been expecting to visit Taiwan, the Treasure Island,and my dream will finally come true today," mainland tourist Shi Anwei told Xinhua before boarding the plane. "I was too excited to sleep last night."

A total of 760 mainland tourists across the country will start the unprecedented journey to Taiwan Friday and stay for 10 days.