The original renovation plan for the Kaohsiung International Airport aims to upgrade the airport to have the capacity to accommodate up to 16.5 million passengers per year by 2035. However, after reevaluation, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has decided to further extend the deadline and expand the airport capacity to 20 million passengers by 2040.


The lobby of the Kaohsiung International Airport is packed with a large number of tourists. As the airport sets new records for passenger traffic volume year by year, at peak hours, the four counters and 88 receptionists can barely handle the large number of travelers. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications had originally planned to expand the airport to one that's capable of accommodating 16.5 million passengers per year in 2035. However, the ministry recently revised its plan to expand the airport to be able to accommodate 20 million passengers in 2040.

It (the airport) could become a regional hub that connects to different markets in the Indo-Pacific region. We have devised a plan which involves separating the management of passenger traffic and cargo. If put in place, this would allow the airport to accommodate up to 20 million passengers per year.

The Kaohsiung International Airport currently has two terminals, one for domestic flights and another serving international flights. The two are connected by a corridor way. According to the renovation plan by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the new terminal will be completed by 2027, and it will be expanded by 2032. The terminal for domestic and for international flights will be merged into one by 2035. And by 2040, the management of passengers will be separated from that of cargo. Scholars also believe that since there are spare real estate around the current airport, it's a better plan to expand the airport instead of building a new one.

In peak hours, it (the airport) will need more room. Secondly, more and more tourists utilize self-help services and therefore the airport doesn't need many more counters. It's a good idea to merge the two terminals.

The scholar believes that Kaohsiung International Airport is also suitable for more affordable flights. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications said, due to the rising economy of the Indo-Pacific region, the airport is not necessary to cancel the night flying restrictions and can expect to see 20 million passengers in the future. The ministry is also planning to upgrade the airport in central Taiwan, to another hub for the Indo-Pacific region.



旅客排隊報到，高雄小港機場大廳，很容易就擠得水洩不通，因為年旅客量持續創新高，尖峰時段小港機場4座報到櫃台，88個窗口，已經快要不敷使用，交通部前年底原定要把小港機場逐步擴增，到2035年年容量達1650萬人次，但最近決定再加碼，容量要到2000萬人次。

交通部次長 黃玉霖表示：「它有機會，成為一個通往印太各個市場的區域性的機場，我們保留一個方案，把現有的貨運站再往東移，客貨分流之後，年容量可以做到兩千萬人次。」

小港機場目前是以聯通道，聯結國內和國際兩棟航廈，交通部規劃，2027年完成新航廈，2032年擴建新航廈，2035年將現有國內國際航廈，整併新航廈，成為一個屋簷下的大航廈，2040年客貨分流。學者也認為，小港機場目前腹地尚未飽合，現地提升規模，比興建新機場好。

高餐航管系副教授 王穎駿表示：「在尖峰時間，它很需要這樣的量(空間)，第二點的話就是說，現在很多旅客，都使用自助報到櫃台，還有一般登機，所以他們其實不太需要太多的櫃台，所以兩個(航廈)合併起來，這個是有好處的。」

學者認為小港機場也適合發展廉價航空。交通部表示，因應印太區域經濟崛起，評估高雄不用取消宵禁，就能達到年2000萬人次的規模，接著也會規劃台中，同樣成為跨印太區域的國際機場。