Starting from Sept 28, the "Aerial Shuttle Bus" will formally join the service between Chengdu and Chongqing with a flying time of some 45 minutes. The total time needed for driving and boarding adds up to two hours, a saving of around half the time required for bus transportation by expressway.
According to the person in charge of the Sichuan Airlines, along with the full operation of the Chengdu -- Chongqing Expressway there witnessed an annual decrease of air-passengers between the two cities and finally came to a stop in 1999. However, in the recent two years or so we've seen an ever-increasing demand for the restoration of air-transportation of the two places alongside with the speedy development in economy and the raise of the status of the Chongqing Municipality.
The "aerial shuttle bus" to be operated between Chengdu and Chongqing is scheduled to have 6 round trips of 12 flights a day. The single way airfare is RMB 240 yuan (US$29) / per capita, a "through service" with bus-transport fee from the designated spot to the airport and the airport construction fee included in it. Passengers are allowed to shift onto another flight the same day free of charge.
Passengers taking the "aerial shuttle bus" may enjoy the ground-air seamless service, so far the first of its kind in China. Ticket in hand, they may take airport shuttle bus at any designated spot to airport either in Chengdu or Chongqing. In Chengdu, the fixed shuttle bus stop is at the eastern gate of the provincial gymnasium with an easy traffic, while in Chongqing there are two spots: one being the ticketing center at Shangqing Temple and another located in the Little Swan Hotel at Jiangbei Customs. Both airports are established with special green channels and check-in counters and green channels for quick safety check and special lobby for boarding as well. When arriving at the destination special deluxe coach is waiting for you by the side of the airplane and then taking you to an appointed spot in the city. In normal cases, the whole trip will only take you one hour and fifty minutes within an utmost timeframe of two hours.
As learned, the "shuttle bus" in execution of the flight schedule is the EMB 145 type jetliner of comparatively advanced technology for business class passengers manufactured in Brazil. With the highest speed cruising along at 833 kilometers (517 miles)/hour, the aircraft features a capacity of 50 seats, able to match with Boeing 737 in security and comfortableness.
(People's Daily September 24, 2002)
