Taipei:Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an has reignited discussions regarding the future of Songshan Airport by proposing its closure to make way for an "AI park."
According to Focus Taiwan, the airport, which has been operational for 90 years, has experienced numerous changes, particularly over the last 50 years, as a result of various national developments.
Songshan Airport was initially established as Taihoku Airfield in 1936 during Japanese rule, marking the first airport in Taiwan. After the Kuomintang government moved to Taiwan in 1949, the airport was rebranded as Taipei International Airport on April 16, 1950. In the years following, it expanded to accommodate 14 international airlines.
The airport's significance diminished in 1979 with the opening of Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (now Taoyuan International Airport) in Taoyuan, leading to a relocation of international flights and a shift in focus to domestic travel at Songshan. This shift resulted in a significant drop in passenger numbers until the government's "open skies" policy in 1987 attracted new carriers and boosted domestic flights.
By 1997, Songshan Airport's passenger volume peaked at 15.39 million. However, the early 2000s brought challenges due to airline consolidation, highway expansion, and the launch of Taiwan High Speed Rail, which reduced domestic air travel demand. In 2002, passenger numbers fell below 10 million, and by 2008, they had dropped to 3.1 million following further cuts in flight routes.
A new lifeline emerged in 2008 with the introduction of weekend charter flights between Taiwan and China, and in 2010, Songshan launched direct flights to Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport. Recently, the airport has been used more frequently for short-haul flights to destinations like Japan and South Korea.
