BEIJING - The first Mid-Autumn Festival charter flight across the Taiwan Strait took off from Taipei Friday morning for Shanghai.

The flight marks the extension of the cross-strait charter flight service, which used to be restricted to the Spring Festival, or traditional Chinese New Year.

The flight, BR 1712 from Taiwan-based Eva Airways, had 308 passengers on board, Liu Yingjun, a public relations officer with the company told Xinhua.

Liu said the charter flight will return to Taipei on Friday afternoon. Seats on the flight were sold out.

The officer said Eva Airways has prepared mooncakes and other traditional Mid Autumn Festival refreshments for passengers.

Eva Airways has scheduled another round-trip charter flight between Taipei and Shanghai on October 8, Liu said.

Following Eva Airways' lead, 11 other airlines from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will also organize charter flights for the Mid-Autumn Festival period, which lasts from September 29 to October 13.