UNI Air and Mandarin Airlines, two of the main domestic flight operators, yesterday said that weather conditions and bird strikes are increasingly disrupting flights.
At a panel discussion during the International Aviation Safety Management Summit in Taipei, UNI Air chairman Solomon Lin (林志忠) said that only 55 percent of the airline’s flights between Taiwan proper and Nangan (南竿) and Beigan (北竿) townships in outlying Lienchiang County were dispatched during the first half of the year.
Almost half of the flights were canceled due to thick fog or other visibility problems, Lin said.
Photo courtesy of the Civil Aviation Administration
Since 2015, UNI Air has also had to complete 16 overhauls and airplane blade damage repairs due bird strikes, he said.
Overhauls involve the thorough inspection, disassembly, repair and reassembly of an aircraft or its major components.
Lin said that while Taiwan’s airports have measures to drive away birds before takeoffs and landings, he hoped that the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) could comprehensively research the ecology of birds in the area.
Mandarin Airlines president Chang Cheng-hao (張程皓) said the airline encountered eight bird strikes in the first half of the year.
It is a hidden operational risk, especially in Taichung and Penghu County, he said.
ATR aircraft are used on most domestic routes, with about 35 minutes required for preparation between flights, meaning the crew operates under pressure, Chang said.
Additional issues are the weather and cabin crew exhaustion, he said.
While passengers expect punctuality, the airline emphasizes safety above everything, making diversions whenever necessary, Chang said.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) acknowledged the collective efforts of airline service providers.
As the aviation industry develops, aviation safety accountability should be noted, as aircraft are more sensitive than any other means of transportation, he said.
CAA Director-General Ho Shu-ping (何淑萍) said that aviation safety is a dynamic process with everyone playing an important role.
The CAA would push those involved to ensure safety, Ho said.
Aviation experts, such as Asia Pacific Centre for Aviation Safety director Mitchell Fox and Airbus regional safety director of Southeast Asia Adrian Abrahan, were invited to the summit to speak about their experiences in the field.
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