Hong Kong carriers welcome open skies pacts with mainland China, India

Hong Kong: Hong Kong-based airlines welcomed recent agreements between the territory and China and India to open up their aviation markets, saying Thursday the moves would strengthen the Hong Kong's position as a regional and international hub.
Hong Kong and mainland China agreed during talks concluded Thursday to increase the number of airlines flying between the two sides and the frequency of flights, starting in the spring of 2008, a Hong Kong government statement said.
From the end of March, there will be no restrictions on the number of airlines operating on routes between Hong Kong and the mainland, except those to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Kunming and Dalian, the statement said.
From the end of July, both sides can nominate three airlines to operate passenger and cargo services on those seven popular routes, and two airlines to operate cargo-only services, it said.
At the end of October, both sides will be able to add an extra airline each to run passenger and cargo services on those routes, it said.
27/12/07 The Associated Press/International Herald Tribune, France

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Categories: Foreign Dec 2007, New Dec 2007