The only local airport that has not handled cross-strait charter flights, Songshan Airport completed the changes in time for the inaugural arrivals 

Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo said yesterday that renovation work at Taipei Songshan Airport had been completed in time to welcome the first batch of Chinese tourists arriving via direct cross-strait charter flights this weekend.

Among all the domestic airports open to receive Chinese tourists, Songshan is the only one that has not handled charter flight services.

The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) started renovating the airport facilities about three weeks ago.

DRY RUN

Mao made the remark as he made a final inspection of the customs-immigration-quarantine (CIQ) area and other facilities before a dry run today.

The CAA also invited the media and tour guides to accompany Mao and check out the new facilities.

Asked to rate the quality of the facilities, Mao did not give a score and simply said that the public would be the best judge.

Within a month, the CAA has managed to set up partitions separating the walkways for Chinese tourists and domestic tourists.

The CAA's design shows that Chinese tourists will arrive at gate No. 10 and No. 11 in the airport's first terminal.

They will then proceed to the CIQ and baggage claim areas in terminal two.

Terminal 1 has a photo wall featuring Taipei 101 and the Chinese characters for "hospitable," while Terminal 2 has a photo wall featuring the sky lanterns in Pingsi, Taipei County, and other major tourist attractions in each county.

COMPLAINTS

David Ch, a tour guide with Phoenix Tours, complained that the baggage claim area was not big enough.

He said it might not be easy or convenient for some travelers to have to walk down the steps in the first terminal and walk across the aircraft parking area before reaching the second terminal.

Mao said an inauguration ceremony will be held in Taiwan and China on Friday, where water will be sprayed on the aircraft before they leave on the inaugural flights.

Taiwan has arranged for lion and dragon dance performances to greet the tourists.

SOUVENIR

The Taipei City Government will also give each tourist a small gift as souvenir.

In related news, the CAA announced yesterday that domestic airlines would start raising the fuel surcharge for international flights on July 15.

The fuel surcharge will be adjusted to US$37.5 one-way for flights to other Asian countries. Cross-continental flights, including those to Australia and New Zealand, will have fuel surcharges raised to US$97.5 one-way.