The landing of the plane marked the first arrival of a civil jet from Taiwan in Xiamen, which faces Taiwan across a narrow strait.

Xiamen has just been added as a mainland destination for chartered planes to and from Taiwan during the traditional Spring Festival, or China's lunar New Year. The three other destinations are Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Two chartered Xiamen Airline Co. planes left Xiamen for Taipei,Taiwan earlier Wednesday.

Although the TransAsia plane landed a little behind schedule, it received a warm welcome from a crowd of local residents and Taiwan compatriots waiting at the airport.

A Taiwan business surnamed Chan was there to meet his 81-year-old mother, who got off the chartered plane from Taipei.

"The chartered flight means that my elderly mother has been able to come to a family reunion on the mainland for the first time. My family does business in Xiamen and we have settled here. Before this, it was inconceivable because of the unsettled traffic problems between the mainland and Taiwan," said Chan.

Tony Fan, chairman of TransAsia Airways, said that bookings forthe company's 12 chartered flights were 90 percent full.

"Chartered flightd between Taiwan and Xiamen are a major step towards direct flights," Fan said. Enditem