The Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport was chosen by travel Web site Amadeus as one of the 10 “traveler-friendliest” airports in the world, thanks to Hello Kitty.
The global travel data provider said part of the airport’s appeal was the Hello Kitty waiting area near the C3 boarding gate in Terminal Two.
The Hello Kitty waiting area was launched in 2007, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said. It features a statue of the Japanese cat towing a suitcase and includes a playground for children. All the seats in the waiting area are pink to match the color of Hello Kitty’s iconic outfit.
Photo: Yao Kai-shiou, Taipei Times
There is also a Hello Kitty store next to the waiting area, where Hello Kitty items can be purchased, including Taiwanese desserts such as sun cakes (太陽餅) and pineapple cakes in Hello Kitty-style packaging.
TIAC said passengers could see Hello Kitty in other parts of the airport, including nursery rooms and phone booths. EVA Airways’ check-in counters in Terminal Two have also been remodeled to resemble a Hello Kitty aircraft cabin and include a display of the utensils and pillows used on the airline’s Hello Kitty jets.
A Hello Kitty slide and another Hello Kitty store can be seen in Terminal One, at B7 and A4 boarding gates, the company said.
TIAC said the Amadeus’ announcement would encourage it to offer more entertainment-oriented facilities so that passengers can enjoy their time at the airport while they are waiting for their flights.
The airport already has other themed waiting areas including ones featuring the well-known Pili Puppet Show (霹靂布袋戲) TV series of Taiwanese glove puppetry, Taiwan’s postal service, the famous Chinese novel Journey to the West (西遊記) and Taiwanese snacks.
Some of the other airports on the Amadeus Top 10 list are Incheon International Airport in South Korea, Changi International Airport in Singapore, Portland International Airport, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and Vancouver International Airport.
In other travel-related news, the Civil Aeronautics Administration said Taiwan and China could soon start negotiating over the additional cross-strait flight services for next year’s Lunar New Year holidays, either at the end of next month or the beginning of December.
The agency said the Lunar New Year holidays would be in February. Given that both sides need time to process the results of the negotiations, it would be too late if the negotiations were held any later, it said.
Additional reporting by CNA
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday expressed “shock and regret” over a statement issued by his wife without his consent, and rejected her assertion that his eldest sister, Ma Yi-nan (馬以南), would manage his medical care or act as his spokesperson amid an ongoing embezzlement probe into his foundation. Ma Ying-jeou in a statement said he was shocked by a statement by his wife, Chou Mei-ching (周美青), regarding his affairs. Ma Yi-nan “must not” be in charge of his healthcare and other personal affairs, nor can she be allowed to represent the Ma family, the former president said. He said he was also
RSS