《TAIPEI TIMES》 Lawmakers require airport to raise profit estimate

By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

Taoyuan International Airport Corp must raise its estimated revenue for next year by NT$500 million （US$16.6 million）, a resolution passed yesterday by the legislature’s Transportation Committee stipulated.

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Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Legislator Huang Kuo-shu （黃國書） and other lawmakers said the company estimates that its revenue could top NT$20.92 billion next year, NT$1.56 billion higher than last year.

However, the company’s budget forecasts have often been lower than final earnings.

Although it in 2013 estimated that it would generate NT$12.97 billion in revenue, its final revenue for the year was NT$14.13 billion, legislators said.

Similarly, in 2014, 2015 and last year, the company’s revenue exceeded estimated revenue of NT$1.33 billion, NT$2.62 billion and NT$1.5 billion respectively, they added.

Huang and other legislators proposed that the company’s estimated revenue be increased by NT$500 million, as it appears too conservative.

DPP Legislator Lin Chun-hsien （林俊憲） agreed that the company has underestimated its potential revenue, but proposed a steeper increase of NT$600 million.

“The company has estimated a passenger increase of 5 percent, in addition to a 6 percent increase in the number of aircraft landing and departing from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport,” Lin said. “In that case, its revenue should be higher.”

The company’s profit and loss accounts do not seem to match its stated growth, DPP Legislator Chen Su-yueh （陳素月） said, adding that this shows that the company’s operational costs are getting higher, which it should strive to improve.

The firm should explore opportunities to develop some of its underutilized facilities and properties, DPP Legislator Lee Kun-tse （李昆澤） said.

“The company has estimated that the number of passengers passing through Taoyuan airport could reach 43.56 million next year,” Lee said. “As the nation’s largest international airport, the company should expand its plan to draw investors and find more effective uses for its properties and facilities.”

Company chairman Tseng Dar-jen （曾大仁） said that it made a conservative projection for next year, because it expects the increase in passengers and aircraft numbers to slow.

Due to slower growth in tourist arrivals from China, Hong Kong and Macau, the airport only saw a 0.24 percent increase in the number of landing and departing aircraft this year, Tseng said.

The company would work hard to maintain its high ranking from Airports Council International, which ranks the airport among the top 10 international airports that serve more than 40 million passengers per year, Tseng added.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES