The main airport serving Taipei – Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport – is planning to build a fourth terminal. That’s to keep up with growing demand. Transportation Minister Chen Jian-yu on Sunday confirmed the plans, saying that the company that runs the airport has presented an initial report to the Cabinet and the transportation ministry.
Right now the airport has two existing terminals, and a third one on the way, scheduled for completion in 2020 at the earliest. Officials say terminal four would be smaller, and would be completed before terminal three. Meanwhile, expansion on terminal two is scheduled for completion in 2017.
Taoyuan airport officials say that arrivals and departures are likely to increase at a rate of about 10% per year. The reason for the increase is a boost in tourist arrivals from China, as a result of direct flights, and an increase in the number of countries and areas that allow Taiwanese citizens visa-free entry.
Officials say that terminals one and two can handle about 15-17 million passengers per year. But last year alone saw 35 million arrivals and departures, a figure that is likely to increase to 40 million this year.