Transit Passengers Impact Taiwan-Kinmen Flights; Chen Yu-chen Urges Increased Seat Reservation for Residents

Central News Agency Report (Reporter Wu Wen-jung, Kinmen, July 15)

A large number of Taiwanese travelers are flying to Kinmen and using the 'Mini Three Links' to travel between Taiwan and mainland China, affecting the transportation rights of Kinmen residents. Kuomintang legislator Chen Yu-chen has called on the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) to respond within one week with concrete measures to increase reserved seats on Taiwan-Kinmen flights for local residents from 30% to 40%, and to establish a priority standby mechanism for Kinmen residents.

Chen's office released a press statement today, stating that to address the congestion caused by over a million transit passengers on Taiwan-Kinmen flights, Chen convened a meeting yesterday with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Aviation Administration, the CAA, the Maritime and Port Bureau, Kinmen County Government, and two domestic airlines.

Chen stated that with the 'Three Links' still not fully operational, demand for the 'Mini Three Links' remains high. As a result, over a million transit passengers traveling between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait via Kinmen have made it abnormally difficult for Kinmen residents to travel between Taiwan and Kinmen.

According to airline representatives, from January to June this year, the seat utilization rate for Kinmen residents on the Taipei-Kinmen route exceeded 30%, while the Taichung-Kinmen and Kaohsiung-Kinmen routes reached 25%. They argued this indicates minimal impact on Kinmen residents' travel. The Kinmen County Government's Tourism Division stated that from May to July, over 50 seats per week on Fridays, weekends, and Mondays have been reserved for residents needing emergency medical care, funerals, or other urgent matters, with a current usage rate of 40%.

Despite this, Chen emphasized that even with over 30% of seats used by Kinmen residents, demand is still unmet. She urged the CAA to study increasing the reserved quota from 30% to 40% and to provide a concrete response within one week on the priority standby mechanism for Kinmen residents.

Additionally, Chen pointed out that although the Kinmen commercial port's passenger service fee has been raised to NT$160, it remains insufficient given the terminal's service quality, facility costs, and labor expenses. Currently, international commercial ports charge NT$460. Although Kinmen is a domestic port, it shoulders the critical role of cross-strait 'Mini Three Links' transportation and should therefore charge at least NT$460, comparable to international ports.

Chen demanded that the Kinmen County Government submit a proposal within one week to raise the passenger service fee from NT$160 to NT$460, to be reviewed by the Maritime and Port Bureau, which must then report to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications for approval within one month. (Edited by Li Heng-shan) 1150715