A cross-strait charter flight request has been turned down, a small but telling sign that travel ties between Taiwan and China remain stuck in procedural friction.

• China Eastern asked to fly Xi'an to Taoyuan on August 21, and Taiwan's aviation regulator said no.
• Taiwan's rule allows holiday charters only in a seven-day window around the festival, which this year means late September.
• Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office publicly framed the rejection as Taipei blocking the flight.
• Taipei's counter: Mid-Autumn is a month away, and the only holiday near August 21 is Ghost Festival.
• Taiwan's business chamber has been pushing for more direct routes, with charters as the first step.

Outlook: Taipei says it will approve the flight if China Eastern simply moves the date into the September 18 to October 2 window, so the dispute is likely to fade rather than escalate.