TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai revealed on Wednesday (March. 6) that the primary reason for Taoyuan International Airport's falling global ranking is the closure of airport shops during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to SKYTRAX, a reputable aviation service survey institution, Taoyuan Airport's rank in passenger voting for the world's best airports plummeted from 13th to 82nd in the last four years.
Wang acknowledged the disappointing ranking of Taoyuan International Airport, and indicated that the situation certainly warranted review by the Taoyuan International Airport Corporation Ltd.
He further explained that these rankings are largely determined by passenger perception of overall airport services, and the closure of many shops during the pandemic impacted the overall experience at the airport.
Recent criticism has been directed at Taoyuan Airport due to significant delays caused by the South Runway's year-end maintenance.
In response, Wang admitted that the operation of an around-the-clock airport indeed faces complications when one of its two runways is out of service.