1,700 passengers delayed at Taoyuan airport due to drone activity

About 1,700 passengers on 14 flights at Taoyuan International Airport faced delays Saturday afternoon after an unauthorized drone was spotted near a runway, according to the airport operator.

All flights in and out the airport, the country’s main gateway, were halted for 23 minutes after aviation police detected the aircraft near south runway 05R at 3:42 p.m., said Taoyuan International Airport Corporation.

Air traffic returned to normal at 4:05 p.m. after the airspace was cleared, the company said, warning that such unauthorized drone operation is subject to a fine of NT$300,000-NT$1.5 million (US$9,700-US$48,800) and constitute a violation of the Civil Aviation Act.

Members of the pubic are encouraged to report similar sightings to the airport by calling (03)273-2043, the company said.

On Aug. 18, 2022, unauthorized drone activity at the airport led to a 30-minute suspension affecting nine flights and about 1,200 passengers, it said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel