(Yicai Global) Nov. 1 -- Though the high-speed train has not yet started running, most direct flights between Xi'an and Chengdu have already been cancelled.

After media reported this development on Oct. 31, China's civil aviation agency promptly pledged an increase in direct flights, Chinese Business View reported today.

One traveler who often journeys between Xi'an and Chengdu for work said direct flights had dropped to one recently, with no flight information even available. The airports implement their winter-spring flight plan from Oct. 29 to March 24 and the sharp decrease of the flights between Xi'an and Chengdu is also tied to the impending start of the high-speed train between Xi'an and Chengdu, said a staffer at Xi'an's Xianyang International Airport.

After the media reports, this event drew the attention of the northwest region's civil aviation administration, which first learned of the situation from the airlines and airports affected. It promised an increase in the number of flights plying the Xi'an to Chengdu route to 22 per week.

A review of flights between Xi'an to Chengdu yesterday found only 10 flights for today, however, but these were stopover and connecting flights. In view of this, the northwest aviation agency is coordinating with its southwest counterpart and direct flights will increase soon, said the northwest agency.