Flight passengers to Canada will not be allowed to check their luggage at Taipei Main Station on the Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT system due to safety concerns expressed by Canadian officials, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said yesterday.
The decision to temporarily suspend the service, which took effect at 6pm yesterday, came after several Canadian transport officials inspected the check-in facilities at the station yesterday morning, the airport company said.
Canadian officials did not elaborate on their safety concerns about the service, said a Taiwanese official who joined the inspection, adding that they only said that complementary measures need to implemented to ensure that the service does not increase safety risks for flights to Canada.
“For example, they [Canadian officials] said that self check-in kiosks in Canada are only available in airports and they do not have such facilities outside airports,” the official told the Taipei Times.
The check-in service in Taipei has been highlighted by the government as one of the most important and helpful services provided by the Airport MRT System, as it frees passengers from the hassle of carrying their luggage and allows them to obtain boarding passes before arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
Airport express lines in Hong Kong, South Korea and Malaysia also provide similar services.
Only four airlines have check-in counters at the station: China Airlines, EVA Air, Mandarin Airlines and Uni Air.
Airport company data showed that the luggage checked by passengers heading to Canada only accounted for less than 1 percent of the total luggage handled at the station.
On average, no more than 10 Canada-bound passengers check their luggage at the station per day, the company said, adding that the decision is expected to have a minor effect.
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