DIRECT TAICHUNG-VIETNAM FLIGHTS TO KICKSTART BUDGET FLIGHT HUB|落實新南向政策 台中直飛越南開航

Low-cost carrier Vietjet has officially launched direct flights between Taichung International Airport and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The government of Taichung City is working to expand the airport's network to destinations in southeast and northeast Asia, with the goal of making Taichung a hub for low-cost airlines. An airport terminal expansion and construction project to add aprons are also slated for this year. Others efforts are under way to promote travel to Taiwan in ASEAN and south Asian markets, as part of the Tsai administration's New Southbound Policy. A long line has formed in front of this check-in counter at Taichung Airport. All the passengers are flying to Vietnam with low-cost carrier Vietjet, which began service to Ho Chi Minh City on the 15th. Vietjet is the first low-cost carrier to fly between Taichung and Vietnam. ==MR. CHANG== This low-cost carrier is more convenient than the options we had in the past. And it's three times more expensive--I mean three times cheaper. Mr. Chang's family is going to Vietnam to visit his wife's family for the Lunar New Year. In the past, they traveled to Vietnam only once every two or three years because of high airfares. Others are taking their family vacations in Vietnam. ==MR. CHEN== This is my first flight on a low-cost carrier. I usually travel on more expensive airlines. ==TAU SHIH-LUNG Chair, Vietjet Taiwan== Of the countries targeted by the New Southbound Policy, Vietnam has the second-most visitors to Taiwan behind Thailand. So this is a market with high potential. And there are also many Vietnamese spouses in central Taiwan who visit Vietnam, so that is also a source of demand here. The government of Taichung City is promoting Taichung as an entry and exit point for tourists, as well as working to make Taichung a low-cost carrier hub. Last year Taichung Airport had 2.38 million international passengers; this year the number is expected to grow significantly to 3 million. ==CHEN SHENG-SHAN Dir., Taichung City Tourism Bureau== This is all part of the southbound policy. After airline service starts, there is further promotion and cooperation for tourism, and perhaps even sister-city agreements. This all brings visitors. Taichung City is actively working to expand the airport's network and will begin to renovate the airport's domestic terminal this year. The connection between the airport's two terminals will be completed in 2019 and overnight aprons added, all to help Taichung attract visitors from southeast and south Asia. TRANSLATED BY：JOHN CHEN 台中機場行李櫃台前大排長龍，他們都是準備搭廉航前往越南的旅客，越捷航空台中直飛越南胡志明市的航線，15日正式啟航，這也是台中國際機場直飛越南的第一家廉價航空。 ==民眾 張先生== 因為這廉價航空是 比之前的還更方便 而且價錢差不多貴了三倍 便宜三倍啦 張先生一家4口，要回太太越南娘家過年，以前因為一般航空票價貴，兩三年才會陪太太回去一次，也有人趁首航帶全家人到越南旅行。 ==民眾 陳先生== 我是第一次搭廉航 對 之前都坐那個比較貴的飛機 ==越捷航空台灣總代理董事長 陶世龍== 南向政策人數最多的應該是泰國 第二個就是越南人來台灣 所以我們覺得這邊是一個 非常有潛力的市場 第二呢 這裡本身也有所謂的 越南越配返鄉的需求 這裡中部地區也是滿多的 台中市政府積極推動「中進中出」，也朝「廉價航空轉運中心」的目標努力；根據統計，去年從台中國際機場進出的國際線旅客，有238萬人次，今年東南亞、東北亞航線陸續開通後，預計可大幅提升至300萬人次。 ==台中市觀光旅遊局長 陳盛山== 這個對整個南向政策的部分裡面 就是一個航線開通的時候 接續就會有包括觀光合作的締結 接下來就所有姊妹市締結的人流 這樣的推動 台中市政府也積極開拓其它航線，今年也將開始國內線航廈整建工程，預估108年能將國內外兩航廈打通，並增加過夜停機坪，積極推動新南向政策，拓展東協及南亞的觀光市場。 記者 邱植培 彭煥群 台中報導