Taipei Songshan Airport
Encyclopedia
Taipei Songshan Airport or Taipei Sungshan Airport is a midsize commercial airport
and military airbase located in Songshan, Taipei
, Taiwan
. The airport covers an area of 182 hectares (1.8 km²).
The civilian portion of Songshan Airport, formerly Taipei International Airport , has scheduled flights serving Taiwan, mainland China, and Japan, with almost all international flights out of the Taipei area served by Taoyuan International Airport.
Songshan Airport is also the base of certain Republic of China Air Force
units, formerly the Songshan Air Force Base . The Songshan Base Command's main mission is to serve the President
and Vice President
of the Republic of China
.
. After World War II
, in 1946, it was taken over by the Republic of China Air Force
. Before the end of the Chinese Civil War
and the establishment of the People's Republic of China
, the airport provided flight routes between Shanghai
and Taipei, occasionally via Fuzhou
.
Shared military and civilian use—both domestic and international—began on April 16, 1950 in the reconstructed Civil Aeronautics Administration Taipei Airport . Domestic destinations have been Kaohsiung
, Hualien, Taichung
, Makung
, and Tainan. The first international destinations were Seattle, Tokyo
, Pusan, Manila
, Bangkok
, and Hong Kong
. The first international airlines included Northwest Airlines
, Pan American Airlines
, and Hong Kong Airways
(now Cathay Pacific
). Later, the airport became too small to handle an increased number of passengers, even after a series of expansions. This later worsened when new wide-body jets became common at the airport. Therefore, all international activities were relocated to Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (now Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport) after its inauguration on February 26, 1979. Consequently, the passenger load at the airport dropped from 6.2 million in 1978 to 2.9 million in 1979 (a 53% decrease). At its peak in 1997, the airport handled over 15.3 million passengers annually.
Service to Taichung
and Chiayi
was stopped in mid-2007 after the load factor
dropped significantly due to Taiwan High Speed Rail
start of revenue service in January 2007. Passenger volume decreased from 6.7 million in 2006 to 4.4 million in 2007 (a 34% decrease). Also due to the opening of the high speed rail line, on March 1, 2008, Uni Air suspended its service to Kaohsiung, while Far Eastern Air Transport suspended its service to Tainan. TransAsia Airways decided to stop flights to Tainan and Kaohsiung after August 1, 2008.
In early 1999 when the construction of Taipei 101
had just started, Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration changed this airport's certain SID
and STAR
procedures to avoid possible collision with the building. The 677-meter Fuxing North Road Underground Passage (復興北路車行地下道) was constructed between 1997 and 2006 under this airport's runway to link the north and south side of this airport.
Regular cross-strait charter
flights to mainland China started on July 4, 2008, with Songshan receiving the majority of flights. Direct flights to mainland China were an issue of contention. Then-mayor Ma Ying-jeou
had been pressing to make Songshan Airport Taipei's main cross-strait terminal, citing that its location close to the city center would make it preferable for business travelers. However, building height restrictions around the airport raised concerns about flight safety, blocking of radio communications, noise pollution, and a reduced number of flights.
The adjacent, unused Terminal 2 was refurbished to accommodate arriving flights while the main Terminal, now Terminal 1, was rearranged to handle increased passenger traffic. On March 29, 2011, the renovated Terminal 2 was re-opened to handle domestic flights.
-Don Mueang, Jakarta
-Halim
, Kuala Lumpur
-Subang Airport, Nagoya-Komaki, Osaka
-Itami
, Seoul
-Gimpo
, Shanghai
-Hongqiao, and Tokyo
-Haneda
are especially attractive since these airports are also in the central areas of their respective cities, and all these cities have larger far flung international airports. The airport is currently in the process of expansion to better accommodate international flights.
This kind of "city-to-city" flights have already been established between Seoul-Gimpo and Tokyo-Haneda, and between Shanghai-Hongqiao and Tokyo-Haneda. Seoul to Tokyo direct flights in particular, take only 1/3 the total travel time over their international counterparts (from 4.5 hrs to 1.5), when ground transport is included.
On March 6, 2009, Japan and Taiwan signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the revision of Taiwan-Japan bilateral traffic. Four carriers (EVA Air, China Airlines, Japan Airlines and ANA) will be able to operate from Songshan Airport to Tokyo-Haneda.
In December 2009, an affirmative schedule for the route between Tokyo-Haneda and Taipei-Songshan was announced. Starting in October, 2010, EVA Air
, China Airlines
, Japan Airlines
, and ANA
will each operate two flights a day from Taipei-Songshan to Tokyo-Haneda, with China Airlines and EVA Air using the A330-300
and the A330-200 respectively. Japan Airlines and ANA are expected to operate this route with the Boeing 767
.
On June 14, 2010, direct flights between Taipei-Songshan and Shanghai-Hongqiao began. Each week has 28 flights, served by China Eastern Airlines
, Shanghai Airlines
, Air China
, China Airlines, EVA Air, and TransAsia Airways
. The airport will undergo upgrades to its runway and reduce its jet bridge from eight to six (due to lack of space) to accommodate Airbus A330 and Boeing 767.
, but the city suffers from the noise, pollution, restrictions on urban planning
, and traffic congestion
the airport brings about. In the 2002
and 2006 Taipei Mayor Election
DPP
candidates Ying-yuan Lee
and Frank Hsieh
both proposed the plan to close Songshan Airport, and developed its land into road, huge park
, detention basin
and sports arena
, since the Taiwan High Speed Rail
could quickly take up the traffic load between Taipei and western Taiwan cities, and the remaining service to outlying islands and eastern Taiwan could be easily taken over by the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after the completion of Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT System in early 2014. Also, the MRT system will make the international potential of Songshan airport less attractive.
The Songshan Airport closing proposal was deferred under the Taipei City Government which has long been dominated by the Pan-Blue Coalition
, who prefers the downtown airport connection concept with Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
and military airbase located in Songshan, Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan
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...
. The airport covers an area of 182 hectares (1.8 km²).
The civilian portion of Songshan Airport, formerly Taipei International Airport , has scheduled flights serving Taiwan, mainland China, and Japan, with almost all international flights out of the Taipei area served by Taoyuan International Airport.
Songshan Airport is also the base of certain Republic of China Air Force
Republic of China Air Force
The Republic of China Air Force is the aviation branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. The ROCAF's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around Taiwan...
units, formerly the Songshan Air Force Base . The Songshan Base Command's main mission is to serve the President
President of the Republic of China
The President of the Republic of China is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Republic of China . The Republic of China was founded on January 1, 1912, to govern all of China...
and Vice President
Vice President of the Republic of China
The Vice President of the Republic of China is the second-highest executive official of the Republic of China . The existing office was created in 1948 under the 1947 Constitution of the Republic of China...
of 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...
.
History
The airport was built in 1936 with its origins as a Japanese military airbase, the Matsuyama Airdrome, during Japanese ruleTaiwan 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....
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1946, it was taken over by the Republic of China Air Force
Republic of China Air Force
The Republic of China Air Force is the aviation branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. The ROCAF's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around Taiwan...
. Before the end of the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
and the establishment of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, the airport provided flight routes between Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Taipei, occasionally via Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
.
Shared military and civilian use—both domestic and international—began on April 16, 1950 in the reconstructed Civil Aeronautics Administration Taipei Airport . Domestic destinations have been Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
, Hualien, Taichung
Taichung
-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
, Makung
Makung
Makung is the county seat of Penghu, in Taiwan Province, Taiwan . Makung is on the western part of the main Penghu Island....
, and Tainan. The first international destinations were Seattle, 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...
, Pusan, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, and 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...
. The first international airlines included Northwest Airlines
NWA
-Nwa:*Nwa, Kale, a village in Burma*Nwa, Cameroon, a commune in the Nord-Ouest region of Cameroon-Groups or organizations:* Northwest Airlines, a defunct U.S...
, Pan American Airlines
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
, and Hong Kong Airways
Hong Kong Airways
Hong Kong Airways – HKA was an airline in Hong Kong during the late 1940s and 1950s.-Context of launch:In 1946 Jardine Air Maintenance Company had been formed to serve the rapidly expanding portfolio of airlines serving Hong Kong and Jardine Airways was formed as the General Sales Agent in Hong...
(now Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
). Later, the airport became too small to handle an increased number of passengers, even after a series of expansions. This later worsened when new wide-body jets became common at the airport. Therefore, all international activities were relocated to Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (now Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport) after its inauguration on February 26, 1979. Consequently, the passenger load at the airport dropped from 6.2 million in 1978 to 2.9 million in 1979 (a 53% decrease). At its peak in 1997, the airport handled over 15.3 million passengers annually.
Service to Taichung
Taichung
-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
and Chiayi
Chiayi
-Administration:-City attractions:*Chiayi Park*Sun Shooting Tower *Lantan *Historic Archives Building of Chiayi City*University of Chiayi*Chiayi Museum...
was stopped in mid-2007 after the load factor
Load factor
Load factor may refer to:* Load factor , the ratio of the lift of an aircraft to its weight* Load factor , the ratio of the number of records to the number of addresses within a data structure...
dropped significantly due to 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...
start of revenue service in January 2007. Passenger volume decreased from 6.7 million in 2006 to 4.4 million in 2007 (a 34% decrease). Also due to the opening of the high speed rail line, on March 1, 2008, Uni Air suspended its service to Kaohsiung, while Far Eastern Air Transport suspended its service to Tainan. TransAsia Airways decided to stop flights to Tainan and Kaohsiung after August 1, 2008.
In early 1999 when the construction of Taipei 101
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 , formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010...
had just started, Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration changed this airport's certain SID
Standard Instrument Departure
Standard instrument departure routes, also known as departure procedures are published flight procedures followed by aircraft on an IFR flight plan immediately after take-off from an airport.- Introduction :...
and STAR
Standard Terminal Arrival Route
In aviation, a standard terminal arrival route or standard terminal arrival is a published procedure followed by aircraft on an IFR flight plan just before reaching a destination airport.-Description:...
procedures to avoid possible collision with the building. The 677-meter Fuxing North Road Underground Passage (復興北路車行地下道) was constructed between 1997 and 2006 under this airport's runway to link the north and south side of this airport.
Regular cross-strait charter
Cross-strait charter
The cross-strait charters are special flights between Taiwan and mainland China, across the Taiwan Strait. After the Chinese Civil War, no direct flights were allowed between Taiwan and mainland China due to mistrust and security concerns; this remained the case until 2003...
flights to mainland China started on July 4, 2008, with Songshan receiving the majority of flights. Direct flights to mainland China were an issue of contention. Then-mayor Ma Ying-jeou
Ma Ying-jeou
Ma Ying-jeou is the 12th term and current President of the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, and the Chairman of the Kuomintang Party, also known as the Chinese Nationalist Party. He formerly served as Justice Minister from 1993 to 1996, Mayor of Taipei from 1998 to 2006, and Chairman...
had been pressing to make Songshan Airport Taipei's main cross-strait terminal, citing that its location close to the city center would make it preferable for business travelers. However, building height restrictions around the airport raised concerns about flight safety, blocking of radio communications, noise pollution, and a reduced number of flights.
The adjacent, unused Terminal 2 was refurbished to accommodate arriving flights while the main Terminal, now Terminal 1, was rearranged to handle increased passenger traffic. On March 29, 2011, the renovated Terminal 2 was re-opened to handle domestic flights.
International potential
Songshan Airport is seen to have the potential to attract business travelers within Pacific Asia due to its location in downtown Taipei. Flights to BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
-Don Mueang, Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
-Halim
Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport
-Accidents and Incidents:*On 24 June 1982, British Airways Flight 009, a Boeing 747-200 flew through a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung, causing the failure of all four engines. The crew diverted the aircraft to Jakarta and it landed safely.-References:* -External...
, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
-Subang Airport, Nagoya-Komaki, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
-Itami
Osaka International Airport
or Osaka-Itami International Airport is the primary domestic airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It is classified as a first class airport....
, Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
-Gimpo
Gimpo International Airport
Gimpo International Airport , commonly known as Gimpo Airport , is located in the far western end of Seoul and was the main international airport for Seoul and South Korea before it was replaced by Incheon International Airport in 2001...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
-Hongqiao, 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...
-Haneda
Tokyo International Airport
, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....
are especially attractive since these airports are also in the central areas of their respective cities, and all these cities have larger far flung international airports. The airport is currently in the process of expansion to better accommodate international flights.
This kind of "city-to-city" flights have already been established between Seoul-Gimpo and Tokyo-Haneda, and between Shanghai-Hongqiao and Tokyo-Haneda. Seoul to Tokyo direct flights in particular, take only 1/3 the total travel time over their international counterparts (from 4.5 hrs to 1.5), when ground transport is included.
On March 6, 2009, Japan and Taiwan signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the revision of Taiwan-Japan bilateral traffic. Four carriers (EVA Air, China Airlines, Japan Airlines and ANA) will be able to operate from Songshan Airport to Tokyo-Haneda.
In December 2009, an affirmative schedule for the route between Tokyo-Haneda and Taipei-Songshan was announced. Starting in October, 2010, 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...
, China Airlines
China 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...
, Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines
is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...
, and ANA
ANA
-Abbreviations:* AB Nyköpings Automobilfabrik* Administration for Native Americans, a program in the Administration for Children and Families* Afghan National Army* Agency for New Americans, a refugee organization in Boise, Idaho...
will each operate two flights a day from Taipei-Songshan to Tokyo-Haneda, with China Airlines and EVA Air using the A330-300
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
and the A330-200 respectively. Japan Airlines and ANA are expected to operate this route with the Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
.
On June 14, 2010, direct flights between Taipei-Songshan and Shanghai-Hongqiao began. Each week has 28 flights, served by China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited is an airline headquartered on the grounds of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in Changning District, Shanghai, China. It is a major Chinese airline operating international, domestic and regional routes. Its main hubs are at Shanghai Pudong...
, Shanghai Airlines
Shanghai Airlines
Shanghai Airlines is an airline headquartered in the Jing'an District, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, but its operations remain separate post-merger, retaining its distinct brand and livery....
, Air China
Air China
Air China is the flag carrier and one of the major airlines of the People's Republic of China. Based in Beijing Capital International Airport, Air China is the world's 10th largest airline by fleet size. The airline ranked behind its main competitors China Southern Airlines and China Eastern...
, China Airlines, EVA Air, and TransAsia Airways
TransAsia Airways
TransAsia Airways is an airline based in Taipei, Republic of China . It mainly serves the domestic market but also has limited scheduled and charter international services to China, East Asia, and Southeast Asia destinations.- Name :...
. The airport will undergo upgrades to its runway and reduce its jet bridge from eight to six (due to lack of space) to accommodate Airbus A330 and Boeing 767.
Proposal to close the airport
The continuing growth of Taipei City means that Songshan airport is nowadays situated in the heart of downtown. Compared to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Songshan Airport saves travelers about 30 minutes due to its location inside Taipei City's central business districtCentral business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
, but the city suffers from the noise, pollution, restrictions on urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
, and traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
the airport brings about. In the 2002
Republic of China municipal elections, 2002
The Republic of China municipal elections of 2002, commonly known as the Taiwan metropolitan elections of 2002 , was held on Saturday, December 7, 2002, to elect the municipal mayors, municipal councilmen, and ward chiefs of the two current and newly created special-municipalities administered...
and 2006 Taipei Mayor Election
Republic of China municipal elections, 2006
The Republic of China municipal elections of 2006, or more commonly known as the Taipei and Kaohsiung elections of 2006 , was held on Saturday, December 9, 2006, to elect the municipal mayors and municipal councilmen of the two special-municipalities administered directly under the central...
DPP
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
candidates Ying-yuan Lee
Ying-yuan Lee
Lee Ying-yuan is a former minister of the Council of Labor Affairs of Taiwan of Hakka ancestry.From a dissident who was imprisoned for advocating Taiwanese independence to become a staff member of the Cabinet, Lee Ying-Yuan, the Minister of the Council of Labor Affairs, has witnessed the...
and Frank Hsieh
Frank Hsieh
Frank Hsieh Chang-ting is a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party in the Republic of China. He was the mayor of Kaohsiung City until his appointment as President of the Executive Yuan by president Chen Shui-bian on February 1, 2005. He announced his resignation from the post of...
both proposed the plan to close Songshan Airport, and developed its land into road, huge park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
, detention basin
Detention basin
A detention basin is a stormwater management facility installed on, or adjacent to, tributaries of rivers, streams, lakes or bays that is designed to protect against flooding and, in some cases, downstream erosion by storing water for a limited period of a time. These basins are also called "dry...
and sports arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, since 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...
could quickly take up the traffic load between Taipei and western Taiwan cities, and the remaining service to outlying islands and eastern Taiwan could be easily taken over by the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after the completion of Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT System in early 2014. Also, the MRT system will make the international potential of Songshan airport less attractive.
The Songshan Airport closing proposal was deferred under the Taipei City Government which has long been dominated by the Pan-Blue Coalition
Pan-Blue Coalition
The Pan-Blue Coalition 泛藍聯盟 or Pan-Blue Force is a political alliance in the Republic of China , consisting of the Kuomintang , the People First Party , and the New Party . The name comes from the party colours of the Kuomintang...
, who prefers the downtown airport connection concept with Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Airlines and destinations
Ground Transportation
- Rail: The airport is served by the Taipei Metro Neihu LineNeihu Line (TRTS)The Taipei Metro Neihu Line is a medium-capacity rapid transit system and runs on an elevated corridor except near Songshan Airport and Dazhi. The line's service length is and it is joined to the Wenshan Line at Zhongshan Junior High School Station, providing direct service through Neihu, Nangang,...
's Songshan Airport StationSongshan Airport StationThe Taipei Metro Songshan Airport Station is located in Songshan, Taipei, Taiwan. It is a station on the Neihu Line and serves as a transportation gateway to Taipei Songshan Airport.-Station overview:...
. - Bus: Several city buses also serve this airport, providing frequent links to the Tamsui Line and Wenshan Line of the Taipei Metro.
Accidents and Incidents
- On 20 February 1970, Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
B-243 of Far Eastern Air TransportFar Eastern Air TransportFar 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...
crashed into a mountain shortly after take-off. The aircraft was operating a cargo flight, both crew were killed. - On 7 October 1974, a Vickers ViscountVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
of Far Eastern Air Transport was the subject of an attempted hijacking. The hijacker was overpowered and the aircraft landed at its intended destination of Taipei Songshan Airport. - On 1 February 1975, Vickers ViscountVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
PK-RVM of Mandala AirlinesMandala AirlinesMandala Airlines was a low-cost airline headquartered in the Mandala Airlines Building in West Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. Mandala operated scheduled services to 3 international and 17 domestic destinations, used a fleet of narrow body Airbuses. Its main operational base was Soekarno-Hatta...
was damaged beyond economic repair when it overran the runway. - On 31 July 1975, Vickers ViscountVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
B-2029 of Far Eastern Air TransportFar Eastern Air TransportFar 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...
crashed killing 27 of the 75 people on board.
Future Developments
Due to the introduction of cross-strait flights and future international potential, the airport is undergoing extensive renovations, the first phase of which is expected to be completed by October 2010. The second and third phase renovations are expected to be completed by March and October 2011, respectively. However, as of November 2011 renovations are still in progress. A new international cargo terminal is being built in anticipation of a new air route between Taiwan and Japan.See also
- Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
- Transportation in TaiwanTransportation in TaiwanThe Ministry of Transportation and Communications of the Republic of China is the cabinet level governing body for the transportation network of Taiwan and the rest of the Republic of China .- Roads :...
External links
- Taipei Songshan Airport Official website (in English and Traditional Chinese)