Ticket sales opened Wednesday in Shanghai for the first charter flight between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan for the Mid-Autumn Festival which debuts on September 29 and ends on October 13.

About 70 percent of the tickets offered by Shanghai Airlines were either booked or sold out. China Eastern Airlines also has 70 percent of their Economy Class and 50 percent of First Class tickets booked.

The Cross-Straits charter flights have now been expanded to include not only the Spring Festival period but also other important traditional Chinese festivals, including the Mid-Autumn festival, the Qingming (Pure Brightness) Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival.

Besides Shanghai, tickets will also be available in other mainland cities such as Beijing, Xiamen and Guangzhou.

(CRI September 7, 2006)