BEIJING - Flights between Beijing and Shanghai will not be canceled after the opening of the landmark high-speed railway between the two cities in June, though fast trains have driven a few other flights out of the market, China's top civil aviation official said.

Li Jiaxiang, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, said in an interview with Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV on Saturday that measures will be taken to shorten the time that passengers spend at airports on security checks and check-in, and improve punctuality.

"If the whole process (of flying) between Beijing and Shanghai can be shortened to three hours or less, air transport will use two hours less compared to high-speed trains. Some business travelers will find the two hours important," Li said.

But the new high-speed railway's opening will still have an effect on air transport, and the administration is researching more details of possible impact, he said.

About 7 million passengers travel between the two cities by air each year.

Earlier this month, flights between Nanjing and Wuhan were canceled because of fast train service on the same route.

- Xin Dingding

(China Daily 04/18/2011 page3)