Night flights will be launched between the Bamda Airport in eastern Tibet's Chamdo Prefecture and the Mainling Airport in southeastern Tibet's Nyingchi Prefecture this year.

The Tibet Autonomous Regional Civil Aviation Administration plans to spend 120 million yuan this year for the purpose, an official of the administration said.

The funding will be used primarily to upgrade and improve navigation lighting systems at the airports.

The Lhasa Gongga Airport first introduced night flights in November of 2008, which have become popular since then, according to the administration.

A passenger surnamed Liao, who works for the local government and often travels for business between Lhasa and Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, has been a regular passenger of the night flights.

"The night flights do not clash with my work hours when I take them," he said, adding that as there is no strong sunlight and air currents are relatively lighter, it is more comfortable to take night flights.

In a circular released last week, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said 18 measures will be taken to enhance civil aviation infrastructure and services in Tibet.

Domestic and foreign airlines are encouraged to open international flights to or from Tibet, under bilateral civil aviation frameworks.

Domestic airlines are also encouraged to open flights linking Tibet to other domestic airports, including those in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

At present, 16 air routes link Tibet's Lhasa, Chamdo and Nyingchi to nine other domestic cities and the Nepali capital of Katmandu.

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