Taiwan Taoyuan expansion to cost USD10.4bn

Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration stated it would cost TWD300 billion (USD10.4 billion) to refurbish and expand Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (CNA/Monsters and Critics, 19-Apr-2011). The government has endorsed the plan to handle increased passenger and cargo traffic, especially from China, in the coming years. The expansion plan calls for a third runway and a third terminal building. Upon completion in 2030, the airport is expected to handle 59 million passengers p/a up from 25 million in 2010. It would have a capacity for 4.5 million tons of cargo, up from 1.8 million tons in 2010, and aircraft landings and take-offs will increase from 155,000 to 467,000. As part of the expansion, the airport complex would be expanded from 1249ha to 1994ha. The project includes the construction of a third terminal by 2018 and another runway by 2021. These two aspects of the project will account for most of the expansion and are integral to the plan to develop the airport as a regional hub, the CAA said. In addition, the Free Trade Zone inside the airport will be expanded from 45ha to 200ha, it said. The construction of the new runway will cost an estimated TWD10 billion (USD347 million), while the new terminal and related facilities such as a ground transport center will cost around TWD67 billion (USD2.3 billion), the CAA said.