Songshan Airport --one of the most popular destinations for passengers who booked seats on the cross-strait weekend direct charter flights -- has been remodeled ahead of the expected influx of Chinese tourists, Mao Chi-kuo, Minister of Transportation and Communications, said yesterday.

Mao said all the renovation and refurnishing work has been completed, expressing hope that the airport will provide good services to the passengers on the first-ever weekend direct, nonstop flights between Taiwan and China.

"We have completed the hardware in accordance with the proposed schedule," Mao said, adding that in the next stage the focus would be improving services.

As for the new decoration, upon arrival passengers on the cross-strait flights will be greeted by a giant placard featuring Taipei 101, the world's tallest skyscraper.

When the passengers walk towards the arrival hall through a corridor, they will see pictures showcasing Taiwan's 25 counties and cities, which Mao said will give them "an initial impression of Taiwan."

Mao stressed that the preparation work on immigration, customs, quarantine, and security have been completed as well, urging passengers and the public not to be worried about potential problems.

The renovation and refurnishing of Songshan Airport is aimed at catering to not only mainland tourists on the direct charter flights, but also the Taiwanese travelers using the nonstop flight services, Mao added.

Renovating Songshan Airport became necessary after the quasi-official Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and its Chinese counterpart the Association for Relations Across Taiwan Straits ( ARATS) agreed June 13 to launch weekend cross-strait direct flights starting this Friday.

The airport, located in central Taipei City, served as Taiwan's main international gateway through the 1970s until Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport opened in 1979.

Since then, it has exclusively served domestic flights but has gradually lost its importance as domestic air traffic declined, due to the availability of high-speed rail services in Taiwan's western corridor.

The new agreement on direct flights to and from China, which the Ma Ying-jeou administration hopes will one day turn into regularly scheduled flights, has given hope to reviving Taiwan's many local airports which are operating at a loss.