Taoyuan Airport’s third runway delayed until 2033

Affected by the unsatisfactory land acquisition and the fact that the demolished households have not yet moved out, the construction of the third runway of Taoyuan Airport has been delayed by three years. Pictured is the north runway. (Photo by reporter Wu Liangyi)

The third terminal of Taoyuan Airport is expected to be completed by the end of next year. The "third runway" was originally planned to be opened in 2030. However, the land acquisition was not smooth and the demolished households have not yet moved out. It must be postponed to December 2033 before the operation test can be completed and the opening can be completed.

The North Hall of Terminal 3 was opened on December 25 last year. Taoyuan Airport Corporation Vice President Sun Hongbin said that the overall progress of the South Hall and the main terminal is going smoothly. The basement baggage handling area will be completed at the end of August. The six check-in counters in the departure hall are expected to be completed in early December. The main terminal will be completed in the first half of next year and the South Hall will be completed in the second half of the year. Terminal 3 will be opened by the end of next year.

Sun Hongbin said that the three terminals are planned to be mainly used for transfer passengers on Southeast Asian and North American routes, and will be occupied by national airlines. The relocation will be coordinated with airline manpower and schedules by the end of this year. In the future, the annual passenger volume of the three terminals will reach 20 million. After the completion of the third runway and satellite corridor, the annual passenger volume will increase to 45 million passengers, and the total transportation volume of the three terminals will reach 82 million passengers.

In addition, the third runway was originally scheduled to be completed in 2030. Sun Hongbin pointed out that in the past, there were problems in acquiring land for the Taoyuan Aviation City section, some demolished households had not yet moved, and the runway marking and east side marking projects had not been completed through bidding. After re-examination, the relocation period was adjusted to the end of December this year. It is expected to be completed in November 2032, with operational testing completed in December 2033 and opening by the end of the year.

There is also the old Terminal 1, which has been in use for 47 years. Sun Hongbin said that Air 1 was renovated and expanded in 2010, which is closely related to the construction of the third runway, satellite corridors, etc., and reconstruction or reconstruction will be taken into consideration, and it is still under planning.