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Airport passenger volume hits new record after SARS

The number of inbound and outbound passengers traveling through the nation's two international airports hit a new record of 24.2 million last year following a SARS-induced slump, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced yesterday.

The combined passenger volume at CKS International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport dropped to 19.1 million people in 2003 from 24.0 million in 2002 because of the SARS outbreak.

SARS SHADOW

With the SARS shadow retreating last year, passenger volume at both airports rebounded to set the new record.

A total of 31 carriers operate flight services from CKS and Kaohsiung.

Six are domestic and the other 25 are foreign-owned.

The six Taiwanese carriers transported a total of 14.1 million inbound and outbound passengers last year, with an average occupancy rate of 74.3 percent, which was also a record high.

In comparison, the 25 foreign carriers carried 10.2 million passengers.

They featured an average occupancy rate of 69.6 percent.

TOP OF THE LIST

China Airlines -- the nation's largest carrier -- topped the list in terms of passenger volume at CKS Airport.

The airliner carried 6.8 million passengers last year, followed by EVA Airways, with 4.9 million.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways was next with 3.2 million, followed by Japan Asia Airways, with 1.5 million.

China Airlines was also the No.1 carrier in terms of passenger volume at Kaohsiung International Airport.

It transported 760,000 passengers to and from the southern metropolis.

China Airlines was followed by Dragon Air, which carried around 490,000 passengers last year.
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