As Lunar New Year travelers flock overseas, passenger traffic at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is expected to shatter records, as Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC, 桃園國際機場), Taiwan’s largest aviation hub operator, projected yesterday’s passenger volume to climb to 167,000.
The figure comes after a record single-day high of 161,000 passengers on Thursday, and would surpass the previous pre-COVID-19 pandemic Lunar New Year peak of 166,000 passengers in 2019, TIAC said.
Long lines could be seen forming as early as 7am yesterday, filling Terminal 1 of the airport almost to capacity, yet security checks took only 10 to 15 minutes.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
TIAC urged travelers to check crowding levels on its official Web site at https://www.taoyuanairport.com.tw/flightforecast to help prepare for their flight.
Travelers are also encouraged to dispose of any liquids before entering the queue for security, with water and beverages provided by the airport after the checkpoint.
Mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices, as well as hats, coats and items containing metal such as wallets and belts, must be placed in a tray for scanning at security, TIAC said.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Liquids may not exceed 100ml per container, and should be placed in a transparent plastic bag, it said.
This regulation also applies to gels and spray bottles, it added.
Separately, the Freeway Bureau advised the public to make use of the its real-time update announcements to plan their travel to avoid congestion on freeways and highways.
Such information is available on the bureau’s Web site at https://1968.freeway.gov.tw/; apps can also be downloaded at https://www.thb.gov.tw/News_App.aspx?n=341&sms=13690.
The Chinese-language Police Public Broadcasting radio channel is also available, it said.
The public is urged to avoid unnecessary use of freeways and highways and consider alternative routes and public transportation whenever possible.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday visited the bureau and distributed red envelopes to thank on-duty staff for their ongoing efforts to facilitate travel during the holiday.
He also urged the bureau to utilize new artificial intelligence and big data tools to enhance efficiency, saying that government offices tasked with traffic-related work must keep all public information they publish online correct and up-to-date.
Freeway Bureau Director-General Chen Wen-ruey (陳文瑞) said his agency has expanded server capacity ahead of the Lunar New Year period.
Southbound traffic is expected to be heavier from Tuesday — the first day of the Lunar New Year — to Thursday, while northbound traffic is expected to peak from Thursday to Saturday, he said, adding that traffic control measures have already been put in place in areas including Tainan and Miaoli County.
Additional reporting by Wang Ching-yi and Wu Liang-yi
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