 | Taiwanese passengers wait to board a chartered plane to Taiwan at Pudong Int'l Airport January 24, 2006. The non-stop charters that run until February 7 are the closest thing to direct flights across the Taiwan Strait. The planes technically must fly through Hong Kong or Macau air space, because permanent air links have been banned since Taiwan and China split at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. click to open  |
 | A plane, operated by Taiwan's China Airlines, prepares to take off for Shanghai at Taiwan's Chiang Kai Shek International Airport January 20, 2006. Hundreds of Taiwanese took off on an airplane on Friday to celebrate the Lunar New Year festival in China, the only time of the year when diplomatic rivals Taipei and Beijing permit non-stop flights. The plane belonging to Taiwan's China Airlines left Taipei shortly after 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) and is due to land in Shanghai in three hours. It returns to Taipei in the afternoon, bringing Taiwanese home for the biggest holiday in the Chinese-speaking world. click to open |
 | A worker loads luggage onto a plane bound for Shanghai at Taiwan's Chiang Kai Shek International Airport January 20, 2006. Hundreds of Taiwanese took off on an airplane on Friday to celebrate the Lunar New Year festival in China, the only time of the year when diplomatic rivals Taipei and Beijing permit non-stop flights. The plane belonging to Taiwan's China Airlines left Taipei shortly after 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) and is due to land in Shanghai in three hours. It returns to Taipei in the afternoon, bringing Taiwanese home for the biggest holiday in the Chinese-speaking world. click to open |
 | Taiwanese passengers prepare to board a plane to Shanghai at Taiwan's Chiang Kai Shek International Airport January 20, 2006. Hundreds of Taiwanese took off on an airplane on Friday to celebrate the Lunar New Year festival in China, the only time of the year when diplomatic rivals Taipei and Beijing permit non-stop flights. The plane belonging to Taiwan's China Airlines left Taipei shortly after 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) and is due to land in Shanghai in three hours. It returns to Taipei in the afternoon, bringing Taiwanese home for the biggest holiday in the Chinese-speaking world. click to open |
 | A China Airlines Airbus 330, the first commercial airliner to fly from Taiwan to Beijing since 56 years ago arrives at Beijing Capital Airport Saturday Jan 29, 2005. The flights are a conciliatory gesture aimed at enhancing ties between the two sides as ethnic Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Straits prepare to go back to their families for Chinese New Year. click to open |
 | Passengers aboard a China Southern Airlines flight, which became the first Chinese carrier to land on Taiwan soil in more than 55 years, arrive in Taipei January 29, 2005. The flight carrying 241 passengers arrived from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. Taiwan and China launched historic charter flights on Saturday with commercial jets flying non-stop between the foes for the first time in more than 55 years, raising hopes for permanent air links and better ties. click to open |
 | CEO of Taiwan's China Airlines received gift from China's official on Jan 29th 2005. Taiwan and China launched historic charter flights on Saturday with commercial jets flying non-stop between the foes for the first time in more than 55 years, raising hopes for permanent air links and better ties. click to open |
 | CEOs of Taiwan and China airlines celebrates in Taipei on Jan 29th 2005. Taiwan and China launched historic charter flights on Saturday with commercial jets flying non-stop between the foes for the first time in more than 55 years, raising hopes for permanent air links and better ties. click to open |
 | Crew of China Southern Airlines, which became the first Chinese carrier to land on Taiwan soil in more than 55 years, arrive in Taipei after their 80-minute flight from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou January 29, 2005. Taiwan and China launched historic charter flights on Saturday with commercial jets flying non-stop between the foes for the first time in more than 55 years, raising hopes for permanent air links and better ties. click to open |
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