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Taichung Airport facing passenger overload crisis

Overwhelmed by an increase in passenger traffic from both local and international airlines, the Taichung Airport is in desperate need of expanded facilities, an official said yesterday.

Clone Chang (張克農), director of the Taichung Airport Office, told the Taipei Times that the airport had already removed the partitions separating the airport's domestic and international terminals in order to maximize available space.

"We have experienced a steady growth in passengers ever since we moved our office from Shuinan (水湳) in 2004," Chang said, "[The airport] used to serve aircraft with a capacity for 56 to 76 passengers, now we have large jets that can accommodate between 150 and 200 passengers."

Chang said it was the government's policy for the Taichung Airport to serve domestic passengers only and that facilities were tailored to suit.

But as many airlines have launched charter flight services that operate from Taichung, the facilities have become inadequate, he said.

For example, Chang said that whereas the customs and luggage pickup area was only intended to serve 85 people at a time, it sometimes has to handle as many as 150 people simultaneously.

Chang said the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) had already drawn up plans for the expansion of the airport, but that these had been stalled in the Council of Economic, Planning and Development.

"Now we are facing a dilemma -- a growing demand and limited facilities," he said.

The Taichung Airport is located on the site of an old an air force base in Shalu Township (沙鹿), Chingchuankang (清泉崗).

The airport's distance from the Taichung Metropolitan area and the launch of the high speed rail has resulted in a reduction of domestic passengers.

As a result, airlines have begun offering international flights from the airport.

For example, last December Mandarin Airlines began operating flights between Taichung and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

International airline Hong Kong Express Airways, meanwhile, offers flights between Hong Kong and Taichung.

The airport in Taichung has also gained public attention recently for serving high-profile celebrities, including the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti and Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li (李澤楷).

CAA Director-General Billy Chang (張國政) confirmed yesterday that Mandarin Airline's plan to reduce the number of flights between Taipei and Taichung has been submitted to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications for final review.

In related news, the runway renovation project at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport has been delayed as bidders have challenged some of the bidding requirements.

One of the airport's two runways was scheduled to close for three weeks starting April 26 for the first phase of the renovation project.

The project is estimated to cost NT$45 million (US$1.4 million).

The Government Procurement Act (政府採購法) states that bidders' queries must be addressed before the bidding session can begin.

The CAA also announced yesterday its plans for flights during the Tomb-sweeping holidays, from next Tuesday to April 9, with a focus on flights from Taipei to Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.
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