Shanghai residents will find it more convenient to fly out to visit their families or take a vacation during the upcoming Spring Festival as several airlines have increased flights to meet the expected travel peak.

But those traveling on busy routes will have to pay higher fares, the airlines said.

Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines, the country's third largest carrier, said it has arranged an additional 726 flights, including charter flights, for the period.

Among them, 158 are on international routes, 530 domestic flights with the remaining will fly to and from Hong Kong and Macau.

"Most of the additional domestic flights are to famous tourist sites in Yunnan or Sichuan provinces," said Zhang Ming, a China Eastern official.

Shanghai airlines said it has added 103 flights for the festival peak.

Flights to Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming and cities in Hubei Province are in demand.

However, air fares on some busy routes have risen by over 20 percent, according to ticket agents.

Spring international Travel Service Co, a major travel and ticketing agent, said tickets to Sanya on Hainan Island and Lijiang in Yunnan are in huge demand and prices have risen at least 20 percent.

For overseas flights, tickets to Hong Kong and New Zealand are also selling like hot cakes.

"Tickets to New Zealand were sold out two weeks ago and those to Hong Kong are in short supply," said a Spring salesman.   

(Shanghai Daily January 12, 2006)