Taipei:Tropical Storm Champi has caused significant disruptions to air and sea transport affecting Taiwan's outlying islands, leaving thousands stranded in Kinmen and Penghu counties. The impact of the storm extended to Taipei's main airports, where numerous flights faced cancellations and diversions.
According to Focus Taiwan, over 1,000 passengers were left waiting at Kinmen Airport on Saturday morning, aiming to return to Taiwan's main island. In response, Mandarin Airlines and UNI Air arranged additional flights to alleviate the backlog. The airport plans to continue assessing passenger numbers and weather conditions to determine if further flights are necessary.
In Penghu County, services began to resume as the storm moved away. More than 1,000 passengers were in search of standby seats at Penghu Airport after flights to Taiwan's main island were canceled on Friday. By Saturday afternoon, airlines had scheduled 30 flights between Penghu County and the main island, with additional flights and ferry services to assist about 1,300 passengers.
At Taoyuan International Airport, a total of 563 flights were canceled on Friday, with an additional 261 cancellations by Saturday morning. These cancellations impacted the anticipated passenger flow for the Oct. 24-26 holiday weekend. The National Immigration Agency reported an expected 114,000 passengers at Taoyuan airport on Saturday, lower than the original forecast of 157,000. Despite poor visibility, the airport planned for 607 takeoffs and landings, while advising travelers to verify flight status due to ongoing schedule changes.
Taipei Songshan Airport also experienced disruptions, with several flights canceled or diverted. Notably, China Airlines flight CI223, Eastar flight ZE887, and EVA Air flight BR189 were diverted to alternative airports. Air China CA197 attempted to land but returned to China without a second attempt, landing in Xiamen instead. These disruptions caused additional logistical challenges, with some newly arrived aircraft left waiting for available gates.