Working Capability of TSA in Operation Flights 1995-2009

Working Capability of TSA in Passenger amount 1952-2009

In the 70’s, with the loosening of overseas travel restrictions, visitations of relatives in Mainland China, as well as the globalization and liberalization of external trade, Taiwan’s economy continued to develop and grow. Taiwan’s national income took off rapidly, and people started to have the money for air travel. Traveling by air became very popular and business activities were bustling. This resulted in an increase in flight volume out of Taipei SongShan Airport, as well as rapid growth in the number of people taking airplanes.

Since the government began implementing the Open Skies Policy in 1987, new airlines were allowed to apply for operation, resulting in many airlines in operations, expansion of the network of airline routes, and increases in flight density, which made even more people willing to travel in airplanes. In the late 1980’s, the rapid growth of privately owned automobiles resulted in the saturation of highways, and travelers started to return to traveling by train. Fierce competition in the airline market resulted in low ticket prices, with air fares reaching less than 1000 NTD for a ticket on the Taipei-Kaohsiung route, which attracted many “time is money” type travelers. When U-Land Airlines first entered the market, they introduced one of the most famous promotions in airline history – “Taipei-Kaohsiung tickets for 1 NTD.”

In 1989, to be able to meet the demands of increased flight and passenger volumes, Taipei SongShan Airport began a full-airport renovation project, providing more room and space in the airport than before, and leaving a good impression of the Taipei SongShan Airport on foreign tourists as well as local passengers. In July 1992, to enhance the quality of service provided to travelers, the airport purchased and installed new passenger boarding bridges. However, beginning in 1996, due to land transportation becoming increasingly congested, airlines upgrading their aircraft from smaller to larger models, and the establishment of the airline route network, passenger volumes increased. In 1997, the airport reached a peak of 15,390,000 passengers, resulting in the facilities of the airport again becoming insufficient for meeting passenger demand.

(Source: Special Issue for the 60th Anniversary of Taipei SongShan Airport, historical documents provided by Mr. Zhongzheng Tang, the Head of Jingzhung Borough)