Hualien Airport 花蓮航空站 Huālián Hángkōngzhàn Pahikukiyan nu Kalinku Rduwan Msangay Asu Skiya Skangki | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Civil Aeronautics Administration | ||||||||||
| Location | Xincheng Township,Hualien County,Taiwan | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 16 m / 52 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 24°01′23″N121°37′04″E / 24.02306°N 121.61778°E /24.02306; 121.61778 | ||||||||||
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_location_map.svg)  HUN/RCYU Location of airport in Hualien County Show map of Hualien County HUN/RCYU Location of airport in Taiwan Show map of Taiwan | |||||||||||
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Hualien Airport (Chinese:花蓮機場;pinyin:Huālián Jīchǎng;Amis:Pahikukiyan nu Kalinku;Seediq:Rduwan Msangay Asu Skiya Skangki) (IATA:HUN,ICAO:RCYU), also referred to asHualien Chiashan Airport, is a commercial airport located in an 11.5-hectare (28-acre) civilian area ofChiashan Air Force Base inXincheng,Hualien County, Taiwan. With flights toTaipei,Kaohsiung andTaichung, it served 235,386 passengers in 2017, making it the tenth-busiest airport in Taiwan.
The airport was opened on 16 May 1962, for military and domestic civilian use. Before this, Hualien was a military gravel airfield.
On 27 April 2001, Hualien Airport became certified to serve international flights, specifically charter flights to and fromJapan (to nearby Yonaguni in particular). The first Japanese charter arrived at Hualien on 1 October 2001. Charter flights toSouth Korea andMacau began in August and October 2004 respectively. However, these routes have since ended. There was also discussion of using Hualien for charter flights tomainland China under theThree Links scheme.
The proximity of Hualien Airport to a military base has caused some tension between travellers, airline officials, and theRepublic of China Air Force, especially when civilian flights are cancelled due to war games exercises.
Because Hualien City is a popular gateway intoTaroko National Park, the airport became too small and outdated for the growing number of tourists. As a result, it underwent a significant expansion between 2002 and 2005 in anticipation of increased traffic from international charters and in an effort to spur local economic development. Plans called for new passenger and cargo terminals, new air bridges, and a new apron.
The new passenger terminal was opened on 19 March 2004, at a cost of NT$2.3 billion (US$69 million). It incorporates design cues from both classicalChinese andAboriginal Taiwanese architecture, though the building overall has a modern look with copious use of granite, marble, steel, and glass. Hualien's terminal is one of only three airport terminals in Taiwan whose layout allows aviation enthusiasts clear views of takeoffs and landings (the other two beingTaoyuan International Airport andKaohsiung International Airport.
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| HK Express | Hong Kong[1] |
| Mandarin Airlines | Kaohsiung,Taichung |
| Uni Air | Taipei–Songshan |
The airport is accessible within walking distance south-east ofBeipu railway station. Local bus 1123 operates a loop between the airport,Hualien station andHualien City.
Media related toHualien Airport at Wikimedia Commons
