Kaohsiung International Airport
Encyclopedia
Kaohsiung International Airport , also known as Kaohsiung Siaogang Airport for the Siaogang District where it is located, is a medium-sized commercial airport located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
. Kaohsiung International Airport is the third-largest airport in Taiwan in terms of passenger movement and accounts for around 15% of international passenger movements in Taiwan.
Air Squadron base in 1938 during the Taiwan under Japanese rule
era, Kaohsiung Airport retained its military purpose when the Republic of China
government first took control of Taiwan. Due to the need for civil transportation in southern Taiwan, the airport was demilitarized and converted into a domestic civil airport in 1965, and further upgraded to an international airport in 1969, with regular international flights starting in 1972.
During 1970s and 1980s, direct international flights were rare in Siaogang Airport, with Hong Kong
and Tokyo
being the only two destinations. Since early 1990s, dedicated connection flights to Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, now as Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, were inaugurated, and this brought southern Taiwan travelers much convenience; they can transit via the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport where there was a higher availability of international flights. In the meantime, direct flights to South-east Asia cities were also gradually opened. This reduced the inconvenience that travelers in southern Taiwan needed to travel to the Taoyuan in the north before flying south. These contributed to a steady growth in airport passenger and flight movements. New terminal dedicated to international flights was opened in 1997 to handle the additional flights.
In summer 1998, EVA Air
opened a direct flight between Kaohsiung and Los Angeles
, but it was discontinued only three months later due to low ridership. Northwest Airlines
also served Siaogang Airport, operating from Kansai Airport from 1999 to 2001, and Narita Airport from 2002 to 2003. These two routes were separately suspended due to the low load factor caused by the September 11, 2001 attacks
and SARS.
After the Taiwan High Speed Rail
's inauguration in January 2007, the Kaohsiung airport suffered great losses in passenger/flight movements; the Taiwan High Speed Rail and record-high costs of jet fuel are eating up most load factors to Taipei Songshan Airport
and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (frequent buses link the Taoyuan Airport and the THSR Taoyuan Station
). Some carriers dropped the two routes while other carriers reduced flights. Carriers now pin their hopes on the increasing flights to Japan, China and Korea.
Kaohsiung International Airport has two terminals – domestic and international. They are connected by corridor way.
The domestic terminal was built in 1965 when the airport was first opened as a civilian airport. Through the years, it has undergone numerous small expansions and improvements, but jet bridges were never added. For the most part, this is acceptable since the domestic terminal primarily serves smaller planes that do not require the use of jet bridges. The current domestic-terminal building also served international flights before the opening of the new international terminal in 1997.
The international terminal opened in 1997 and all gates have jet bridges. It serves all international flights and connecting flights to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Connecting passengers proceed through immigration in Kaohsiung and do not need to repeat the procedure in Taoyuan, avoiding congestions in Taoyuan and saving much time between flights. Like many modern airport terminals, the building has a high ceiling in the check-in area and its exterior uses glass panels extensively. The floor area for the international terminal is three times more than that of the domestic terminal.
and Uni Air
operate charter flights from Kaohsiung to many Japanese cities including Asahigawa, Hakodate, Sapporo, Hanamaki, Obihiro, Nagasaki and Kumamoto, mostly during long vacations.
was damaged beyond economic repair in an accident at Kaohsiung International Airport.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. Kaohsiung International Airport is the third-largest airport in Taiwan in terms of passenger movement and accounts for around 15% of international passenger movements in Taiwan.
History
Originally built as an Imperial Japanese NavyImperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
Air Squadron base in 1938 during the Taiwan under Japanese rule
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
era, Kaohsiung Airport retained its military purpose when the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
government first took control of Taiwan. Due to the need for civil transportation in southern Taiwan, the airport was demilitarized and converted into a domestic civil airport in 1965, and further upgraded to an international airport in 1969, with regular international flights starting in 1972.
During 1970s and 1980s, direct international flights were rare in Siaogang Airport, with Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
being the only two destinations. Since early 1990s, dedicated connection flights to Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, now as Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, were inaugurated, and this brought southern Taiwan travelers much convenience; they can transit via the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport where there was a higher availability of international flights. In the meantime, direct flights to South-east Asia cities were also gradually opened. This reduced the inconvenience that travelers in southern Taiwan needed to travel to the Taoyuan in the north before flying south. These contributed to a steady growth in airport passenger and flight movements. New terminal dedicated to international flights was opened in 1997 to handle the additional flights.
In summer 1998, EVA Air
EVA Air
EVA Airways Corporation "; ) is an airline based at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, Taiwan, operating passenger and dedicated cargo services to over 40 international destinations in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. EVA Air is largely privately owned and flies a fully...
opened a direct flight between Kaohsiung and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, but it was discontinued only three months later due to low ridership. Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
also served Siaogang Airport, operating from Kansai Airport from 1999 to 2001, and Narita Airport from 2002 to 2003. These two routes were separately suspended due to the low load factor caused by the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
and SARS.
After the Taiwan High Speed Rail
Taiwan High Speed Rail
Taiwan High Speed Rail is a high-speed rail line that runs approximately along the west coast of the Republic of China from the national capital of Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung...
's inauguration in January 2007, the Kaohsiung airport suffered great losses in passenger/flight movements; the Taiwan High Speed Rail and record-high costs of jet fuel are eating up most load factors to Taipei Songshan Airport
Taipei Songshan Airport
Taipei Songshan Airport or Taipei Sungshan Airport is a midsize commercial airport and military airbase located in Songshan, Taipei, Taiwan...
and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (frequent buses link the Taoyuan Airport and the THSR Taoyuan Station
THSR Taoyuan Station
THSR Taoyuan Station is an underground station of the Taiwan High Speed Rail located in Zhongli City, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. It is also known as Chingpu Station .-Overview:The underground station has two side platforms...
). Some carriers dropped the two routes while other carriers reduced flights. Carriers now pin their hopes on the increasing flights to Japan, China and Korea.
Terminals
The domestic terminal was built in 1965 when the airport was first opened as a civilian airport. Through the years, it has undergone numerous small expansions and improvements, but jet bridges were never added. For the most part, this is acceptable since the domestic terminal primarily serves smaller planes that do not require the use of jet bridges. The current domestic-terminal building also served international flights before the opening of the new international terminal in 1997.
The international terminal opened in 1997 and all gates have jet bridges. It serves all international flights and connecting flights to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Connecting passengers proceed through immigration in Kaohsiung and do not need to repeat the procedure in Taoyuan, avoiding congestions in Taoyuan and saving much time between flights. Like many modern airport terminals, the building has a high ceiling in the check-in area and its exterior uses glass panels extensively. The floor area for the international terminal is three times more than that of the domestic terminal.
Airlines and destinations
International Charter Flights
Both China AirlinesChina Airlines
China Airlines is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of Republic of China . Although not directly state-owned, the airline is owned by China Airlines Group, which is owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation...
and Uni Air
Uni Air
UNI Air is an airline based in Zhongshan, Taipei, Taiwan. It is a domestic and regional subsidiary of EVA Air. It was known as Makung International Airlines until 1996, when EVA Air took a majority share of the airline...
operate charter flights from Kaohsiung to many Japanese cities including Asahigawa, Hakodate, Sapporo, Hanamaki, Obihiro, Nagasaki and Kumamoto, mostly during long vacations.
Cargo airlines
Accidents and incidents
On February 15, 1969, Douglas C-47B B-241 of Far Eastern Air TransportFar Eastern Air Transport
Far Eastern Air Transport is an airline based in Taipei, Taiwan. Established in 1957, it operated domestic services from Taipei and Kaohsiung to five regional cities and international services to Southeast Asia, South Korea and Palau. Its main base was Taipei Songshan Airport...
was damaged beyond economic repair in an accident at Kaohsiung International Airport.
Ground Transportation
- MRTMass Rapid TransitThe term Mass Rapid Transit may refer to Rapid transit.The name Mass Rapid Transit is used by the following specific rapid transit systems, either as an official name or otherwise:* Mass Rapid Transit system in Singapore...
(Subway): Kaohsiung MRT red lineRed Line, KMRTThe Red Line is the north-south mass transit line of the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is the first mass transit line built in southern Taiwan, started construction on October 24, 2001 and opened for service on March 9, 2008 with a month-long free ride service to April...
's Kaohsiung International Airport StationKaohsiung International Airport StationThe Kaohsiung MRT Kaohsiung International Airport Station is a station on the Red Line in Siaogang District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The station refers to the nearby Kaohsiung International Airport.-Station Overview:...
serves this airport, with outlets in both international and domestic terminals. Passengers can also make use of the Kaohsiung MRT Red Line to access Taiwan Railway AdministrationTaiwan Railway AdministrationThe Taiwan Railway Administration is an agency of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of the Republic of China responsible for managing, maintaining, and running passenger and freight service on 1097 km of conventional railroad lines in Taiwan...
's Kaohsiung StationKaohsiung StationKaohsiung Station is a railway station located in Sanmin District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China, which serves the Taiwan Railway Administration Western Line, Pingtung Line, Kaohsiung Harbor Line and the Kaohsiung MRT Red Line...
and Taiwan High Speed RailTaiwan High Speed RailTaiwan High Speed Rail is a high-speed rail line that runs approximately along the west coast of the Republic of China from the national capital of Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung...
's Zuoying StationNew Zuoying StationXinzuoying Station or Zuoying Station , is a major railway station served by Taiwan Railway Administration, Taiwan High Speed Rail, and Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit located in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan...
.
- BusBusA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
: Several city bus lines serve the airport. Long distance bus to Kenting National ParkKenting National ParkKenting National Park is a national park located in the Hengchun Peninsula of Pingtung County, Taiwan, covering Hengchun, Checheng and Manjhou Townships. Established on January 1, 1984, it is Taiwan's oldest and southernmost national park, covering the southernmost area of the Taiwan island...
, SinyingSinying CityXinying District is the location of second administration centre of Tainan City Government of Tainan City in Taiwan. Sugar production was the most important industry in Xinying.-Education:* Xinying Senior High School* Nan-Kwang Senior High School...
and ChiayiChiayi-Administration:-City attractions:*Chiayi Park*Sun Shooting Tower *Lantan *Historic Archives Building of Chiayi City*University of Chiayi*Chiayi Museum...
are also available. Bus stops are located under the corridor way between domestic and international terminal.
- Car RentalCar rentalA car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
: Car rental centers are located under the corridor way between domestic and international terminal. More car rental centers are available on the Jhongshan 4th Rd. (中山四路) outside this airport. From Jhongshan 4th Rd, the National Highway No. 1National Highway No. 1 (Taiwan)National Highway No. 1 is the first freeway in Taiwan. It begins in Keelung City at the intersection of Ziao 2nd Road and Jhong 4th Road and ends in Kaohsiung City at the intersection of Jhongshan 4th Road and Yugang Road, giving it a total length of 372.8 km...
's Kaohsiung Terminus at 372 km is about 2 km away.
- TaxiTaxicabA taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
: Available in both terminals.