Lawmaker slams 'no star' Taoyuan Airport

Legislator Lo Shu-lei challenged Lee Long-wen, head of the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), at his annual report on the 2010 CAA budget plan. She pointed out that Taoyuan Airport had dropped four places in the Airport Council International ranking of 2008 passenger volume for Asia-Pacific airports compared with the previous year.

Lo also cited the 2008 review by British consultancy Skytrax in which Taoyuan Airport grabbed none of the maximum 5 stars in its ranking system, adding that airports in the region such as Seoul Incheon Airport, Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport all received the full 5 stars.

Incheon, HK International and Changi are respectively the top three 2009 airports ranked by Skytrax and the only three 5 stars airports.

In response, Lee said that if only international flights were counted, Taoyuan would receive three stars instead of nil in terms of passenger volume. Lee attributed the drop in passenger volume to the economic downturn, the exodus of local industries and the drop of Hong Kong and Macau lines due to the opening of direct cross-strait flights.

Skytrax's airport survey was operated over a 10-month period, during which time air travelers around the world have submitted nominations and data gauging wide aspects of airport quality, including accessibility, cleanliness, comfort, flight information, WIFI availability, lounges, safety standards, airport staff, etc.

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