(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-08-04 14:38

Traveling between Beijing and Shanghai is set to become more convenient as five local airlines are launching a new express air service between the two cities every half hour from August 6.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said that special check-ins, security checks, boarding gates and baggage claim areas would be dedicated to the service at Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.

The journey from check-in to luggage claim will take no more than three hours as the five airlines including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, and Shanghai Airlines have agreed to collaborate closely with each other, CAAC said.

Passengers will be allowed for the first time to transfer to the aircraft of any other airlines when they get to the airport.

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It's unclear how much the air express will cost but the prices will vary with airlines. To prevent vicious price competition, some airlines have proposed a maximum discount of 20 percent.

There are currently 37 flights from Beijing to Shanghai every day which can not meet the rising market demand.

Beijing Capital and Shanghai Hongqiao Airports have finished the preparatory work for the express service, including providing exclusive waiting areas, information desks and security checking facilities.

The CAAC said the first ever collaboration between airlines was the first step of the civil aviation industry's development of its express air services. If the program is successful, more major cities will be brought in including Guangzhou and Shenzhen.