Taipei Taoyuan Airport: Asia's fastest growing airport outside mainland China despite runway works

Taipei Taoyuan, the largest airport in Taiwan, grew 11.1% in 2014 to handle 35.8 million passengers, making it the 16th largest airport in Asia Pacific and bigger than Tokyo Narita, Mumbai and Manila. Taoyuan was also Asia Pacific's fastest growing major airport outside of mainland China. Taoyuan achieved this despite construction works that took a runway out of service. Full operations are expected to resume in early 2016 and will ease existing congestion as well as open up more slots for growth. Taiwan recorded a 23.6% increase in inbound visitors in 2014.

1H2015 traffic grew at a slower 7%. EVA Air, the second-largest carrier in Taiwan, is leading growth ahead of China Airlines. Japan is the largest growing market with nearly an additional 1,000 seats a day in 2015. The USA is also a large growth market as EVA undertakes long-haul expansion. Taoyuan in 2014 gained two new local airlines, both LCCs: Tigerair Taiwan and V Air. This gain is partially offset by reductions at TransAsia following a series of incidents. A special one-off A380 flight from Emirates brought the aircraft to Taoyuan, which has invested to support the type. But perhaps China Southern is a more likely regular operator. Next Taoyuan will see growth from cross-Strait transit passengers and a new terminal three.