Xinjiang Airlines to Offer Cheaper Flights

A trip from the west Xinjiang's capital Urumqi to east China's Shanghai will cost no more than 500 Yuan (US$60) at the cheapest by a night non-stop flight the Xinjiang Airlines plans to launch.

The carrier said it has handed in its proposal to launch three such flights, or redeye flights, and will soon provide the cheaper services after getting the supervision department's nod.

The other two routes are from Urumqi to Beijing and the south China's Guangzhou. And the proposed discounts range from 30 to 80 percent.

The standard tickets on the three routes are 2,080 Yuan, 2,390 Yuan and 2,420 Yuan for economy class, and 2,700 Yuan, 3,100 Yuan and 3,150 Yuan for business class.

If lucky enough, people who buy the tickets 12 days in advance will get tickets with 80 percent off, Xinjiang Airlines' spokeswoman Liu Xueqing said.

But the discounted tickets can only be bought, not booked, Liu added, and they won't be applied to teachers, students and those, who have already enjoyed some favorite policies.

The cap for 80-percent discounts offered on each flight will be 2 percent of all the seats on board and the limit for 50 percent discounts will be 50 percent.

The Guangzhou-base Southern Airlines launched China's first redeye flights last March.

(Eastday.com.cn 06/13/2001)