The nation’s airport service charge is to be raised from NT$300 to NT$500 per person — the first increase in 27 years, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) announced yesterday.
The proposal is under review at the Executive Yuan, the agency said, adding that the policy would take effect on May 1.
Passengers planning to travel in May or later would still be charged NT$300 per person if they purchase their tickets before the end of next month.
Revenue from the airport service charge is to be equally split to fund construction at the nation’s airports and to develop the tourism industry, the agency said.
Terminal Three and the third runway at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are two recent major projects, it added.
The higher levy remains less costly than those charged in foreign regional airports, the agency said. Changi Airport in Singapore and Beijing Capital International Airport each charge more than NT$800 in airport service fees. Japan’s Narita International Airport and Incheon International Airport in South Korea charge about NT$700 per passenger, more than twice as much as Taiwan’s current levy.
The agency also said that it is planning to establish a new aviation route for international flights along the nation’s east coast to ease congestion expected from the continual increase of flights in Taipei’s flight information region (FIR).
The Taipei FIR maintains three routes for international flights: “A1” and “M750” on the west coast and “B591” on the east.
The agency has estimated that international flights through Taiwan’s airspace would only increase and the new route must be established in advance. Due to the nation’s limited airspace, no new route could be added to the west coast, it said.
The agency said that it has made a formal recommendation to the Air Traffic Control Committee, formed by representatives from the air force and the CAA.
The committee was established to coordinate air traffic control and use of the airspace for military and civilian aircraft.
Agency statistics show that the number of landings and departures from Taoyuan airport has risen from about 156,000 in 2010 to 208,000 last year. Route M750 has to accommodate 360 aircraft per day, while the two other routes need to accept 200 to 300 flights daily.
An air route is considered crowded if it must accommodate 400 aircraft per day, the agency said.
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