Taiwan-based China Airlines has launched charter tourist flights between Taiwan and Chengdu city in Sichuan Province. The company says demand is rising and it is preparing to operate more flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan island.

After a 3.5-hour flight, a China Airlines plane carrying 150 Taiwan passengers arrived on the morning of May 3 at Shuangliu airport in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.

Crew and passengers were warmly welcomed with a local opera performance and other cultural shows at the airport. One hour later, the plane returned to Taoyuan airport in Taipei, carrying more than 250 mainland passengers.

China Airlines will operate one round-trip flight each Sunday for the next four weeks. The company is preparing for more regular flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

Sun Huang-Hsiang, General Manager of China Airlines said: "We are now making full preparations, and flights will start by the end of June. We are very likely to make Chengdu one of the destinations. Chengdu is very important to us, as it is a gateway to the central western region. Taiwan has lots of connections to Sichuan province, so this route will be very good."

Taiwan's EVA Airways will also start charter tourist flights to the mainland from as early as May 12.