广播听力：Charter Flights Sets off for Qingming

To facilitate activities surrounding Qingming Festival, a day to remember the dead by sweeping their tombs, 11 airlines are operating flights between the mainland and Taiwan.

In a bold move, 21 round-trip flights will fly between six major cities on both sides of the Taiwan Straits between Wednesday and next Monday. The charter flights will save both time and operation costs over normal trips, which include compulsory stopovers in either Hong Kong or Macao.

"I'm taking a flight this year to pay my respects to my ancestors back in Taiwan. It's a tradition to reflect on one's family roots this time of year, and no matter where I am or how busy I am, I will go back to my hometown on this day."
"The more flights we have, the shorter the distance between people in Taiwan and the mainland will be. We look forward to benefiting from easier access between the two sides."

The first non-stop charter flights across the straits were launched for Chinese Lunar New Year in 2005.

The service is now available during important holidays, including the traditional Dragon Boat Festival in early summer, and the Mid-Autumn Festival in September.