Taiwan is rejecting reports that claim it will not allow extra cross-strait flights over the Lunar New Year holiday.
The holiday sees a spike in cross-strait travel, with many Taiwanese people living in China returning home. Airlines operating cross-strait routes often schedule extra flights around the holiday to accommodate the surge in demand.
The reports have sparked an extra layer of controversy because demand for extra flights in the run up to the holiday is expected to be especially high next year. That’s because Taiwan will hold its 2020 presidential election on January 11, exactly two weeks before the holiday begins. Taiwan does not issue absentee ballots, meaning would-be voters unable to take a long vacation will have to fly back and forth twice.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, some media outlets alleged that Taiwan has turned down a request from Beijing to discuss arrangements for extra flights next year. The Chinese media has said that the alleged move show “disregard for the need of Taiwanese residents living in China”.
Taiwan’s aeronautics authority says the reports are untrue. It also says it is currently assessing the needs of Taiwanese people living in China.