By IANS,
Beijing : China’s civil aviation regulator has asked domestic airlines to add 14,000 flights to meet massive passenger flow during the 40-day spring festival season that began Sunday.
Passengers are expected to make around 35 million more trips by air during the Spring Festival this year, up seven percent from last year, said Xia Xinghua, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
He said airlines were currently running nearly 8,000 flights each day that were able to carry one million passengers, Xinhua reported.
The administration has approved the addition of 412 flights every week so that people can reunite with their families during the holiday season, he said.
He also vowed to improve flight punctuality during the period. A coordination system between airlines, airports and aviation regulators has been set up to ensure smooth and safe running of flights in case of freezing rain or heavy snow.
The Spring Festival — or the Chinese Lunar New Year — will be celebrated Jan 23.