Air China will increase the frequency of its Chongqing and Taiwan service to three flights a week from August 2009 and it is expected to become a daily service by the end of the year. Occupancy levels on the route were running at 74 per cent between the start of the service in December 2008 and 24 May 2009, according to a Chongqing government website.

This is part of an overall increase in Air China’s planned services to Taiwan following last month’s expanded air service agreement between the PRC and Taiwan to more than double the number of flights to 270 a week from 108 in an effort to promote cross-strait ties. Air China's managing director, Lou Yongfeng, said that high load factors and relatively high ticket prices have made these routes profitable for the airline.

China Eastern Airlines and Taiwan’s China Airlines have been operating a freighter service between Shanghai and Taipei since last December.