BEIJING, Dec. 26 -- Starting on December 23, the Beijing Area Control Center has shortened the interval between flights on the same route and height from 40 kilometers to 30 kilometers, the Beijing Daily reported.

According to a staffer at the North China Air Traffic Management Bureau, the new standard will help alleviate congestion in air transportation. The new standard will first be implemented in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, with nationwide implementation targeted for March 1, 2014.

The staffer said that the decision was only made after the bureau and the Civil Aviation Administration of China fully considered the airspace structure as well as communication, navigation, and surveillance capability.