TAIPEI- Taiwan may launch special weekend charter flights to Chinese mainland in a move to expand current holiday arrangements, an aviation executive said.

"I believe weekend charter flights will begin no later than the first quarter of next year," said Tony Fan, chairman of the Taipei Airlines Association.

The private association was authorized by the "Taiwan government" to handle aviation talks with China in the absence of official contacts. Taiwan and the mainland split amid civil war in 1949 and passengers must fly to the mainland through a third point, typically Hong Kong or Macau.

In June, Taiwan and China agreed to allow selected airlines from each side to fly passengers across the Taiwan Strait on a charter arrangement during the four most celebrated festivals each year.

Beginning Friday, airlines will fly 48 round-trip flights between Taiwan and the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen for the Mid Autumn Moon Festival that falls on October 6.

Fan said he couldn't estimate how many round trips would be allowed for weekend charter flights, but the total number may be small initially.

"The "Taiwan government" wants a gradual opening of links with the mainland, step by step," he told Dow Jones Newswires on Friday.

Taiwan is concerned a large number of weekend flights would lead to increased traffic to the mainland for spending and leisure and hurt the domestic economy, Fan said.

The negative effect will likely be offset by allowing cash-rich Chinese tourists traveling to Taiwan, said Fan, who is also a director of Taiwan's tourism association. "So these issues of tourism and charter flights are bundled together," Fan said.

In 2003, 2005 and 2006, Taiwan and China allowed ad-hoc direct charter flights during Lunar New Year, the biggest Chinese holiday.