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Lawmakers want airport upgraded

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday urged the government to upgrade Taipei Songshan Airport into an international airport, initially serving flights to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Macau, and later on to Chinese coastal cities when direct flights across the Strait are permitted.

Speaking at a seminar in Taipei yesterday, the KMT lawmakers highlighted their concern for one of the oldest airports in the nation in light of the scheduled start of the Taiwan high-speed railway service in October. This, according to the legislators, would have a direct impact on the operation of Songshan airport, which now serves as a domestic flight hub.

Hosted by KMT Legislator Diane Lee (李慶安), the lawmakers invited officials from the Taipei City Government, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of National Defense and Mainland Affairs Council to discuss the possibility of upgrading Songshan Airport's operations.

KMT Legislator Su Chi (蘇起) said once the government lifts the ban on direct flights to China and Songshan becomes an international airport, it would only take about an hour and a half to travel from Taipei to Shanghai.

This would encourage more businesspeople to come back to Taiwan, he said.

"It (renovating Songshan airport) is a starting point," Su said.

Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇), another KMT legislator, said it was only a matter of time before the government approves direct flights to China. If the Songshan airport could be converted into an international airport, it could facilitate the movement of products for export from technology firms in Neihu and Nangang and help energize the regional economy, he said.

Wu also highlighted the traffic potential traffic if Songshan airport were to accommodate flights to China. Citing statistics from the Mainland Affairs Council, Wu said that the number of Taiwanese visitors in China already exceeded 7 million last year, half of whom came from northern Taiwan.

Meanwhile, Taipei City Deputy Mayor Yeh Ching-chuan (葉金川) said that the city government had completed a detailed report assessing the potentially huge return on investment if Songshan Airport were converted into an international airport.

In response, central government representatives either said that the proposal was not feasible or that they would act on it once the appropriate regulations are in place.

Lin Hsin-te (林信得), deputy director of the Civil Aeronautics Administration, said that Song-shan airport would need to undergo a major infrastructure overhaul to become an international airport.

For example, the width and the length of the runways would have to be expanded to accommodate larger aircraft.

The government would also have to lift the curfew on flights, which might not be viewed positively by the area's residents, he said.
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