TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Broadcasting Corp of China former chairman Jaw Shaw-kong expressed his anger Monday (March 4) on Facebook over Taoyuan International Airport's runway maintenance debacle, stating that flight disruptions may become the norm at the airport in the next six years, which would affect Taiwan's international image.
The airport's south runway underwent its annual repairs recently, resulting in at least 47% of flights delayed, with some even being rerouted. This event, triggering public dissatisfaction, was completed ahead of schedule on March 4, with both runways reopening by 9 p.m.
Jaw called the runway maintenance operations poorly planned, causing embarrassment at an international level. He said the airport, once ranked 13th globally, has steadily fallen to 82nd over the past four years.
Jaw criticized that Taoyuan International Airport failed to undertake substantial renovations during the pandemic, leading to a glaring gap with other international airports.
He questioned why there were no contingency plans in place for aircraft scheduling during routine annual runway maintenance, which could preempt the predictable chaos.
Jaw stated that Taiwan's public infrastructure projects progress too slowly; for instance, the Taoyuan Airport MRT took 20 years to complete, and the airport's third runway won't be finished until 2030.
Jaw underscored that these issues not only deterred international travelers from visiting Taiwan but also caused those traveling for leisure or business to spend more time. He believes officials should be held accountable for these shortcomings.