Construction of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s third terminal and its south concourse are scheduled to be completed in April and August next year respectively, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.
“Given that 240 government agencies and companies are stationed at Taoyuan airport, six more months of trial operations are needed at the third terminal and its south concourse. The official opening would be scheduled based on the results of an assessment,” Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Kuo-hsien (林國顯) told a news conference in Taipei.
The terminal’s north concourse was opened on Dec. 25 last year.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) said that Taoyuan International Airport Corp is considering raising the airport service fee, as it is under increasing financial pressure due to the construction projects.
Details have yet to be finalized, he said.
Meanwhile, the ministry would continue encouraging airlines to use sustainable aviation fuel, with the goal of increasing the blend ratio of sustainable aviation fuel to 5 percent by 2030.
“We will not make it mandatory for airlines to use sustainable fuel, as the two petrochemical companies in Taiwan have limited production capacities. CPC Corp, Taiwan can produce 5,000 tonnes, while Formosa Petrochemical Corp can produce 50,000 tonnes. Both cannot satisfy demand from airlines,” Lin said.
In addition, the government is planning to propose amendments to drone regulations to develop the low-altitude economy.
“We are considering allowing trials and sandbox experiments of drones operating at low altitudes to take place in some areas. We would then gradually relax the rules under the conditions of safety to allow low-altitude drone operations in designated areas,” Lin said.
In other news, Chen said that the proposed high-speed rail extension to Yilan County would be built under the conditions that the project is technically feasible and the government is able to fund the project.
Former minister of transportation and communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) strongly opposed the project.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) had instructed the ministry to engage in further discussions over the project, former minister without portfolio Chang Ching-sen (張景森) said.
“The high-speed rail system has been in operation for about 20 years, and a new high-speed rail train is to be added to the service this year. We must engage in practical discussions of extending high-speed rail lines,” Chen said.
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