TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Six flights were canceled at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Sunday as escalating tensions in the Middle East and a separate check-in system malfunction disrupted operations, airport authorities said.
Taoyuan International Airport Corporation said airstrikes by the US and Israel on Iran led to the cancellation of six Middle East-bound flights as of 6 p.m. on Sunday. The affected services included four flights operated by Emirates between Taoyuan and Dubai and two flights operated by Etihad Airways between Taoyuan and Abu Dhabi, per CNA.
In addition to the cancellations, a malfunction in the airport’s online passenger check-in system on Sunday morning caused long lines at counters in both terminals.
The airport operator said it received reports at 9:40 a.m. from airlines that they were unable to connect with the airport's SITA data management system, preventing check-in and seat allocation. Airlines were forced to issue handwritten boarding passes while systems were down.
The malfunction was resolved at 11:15 a.m. One flight was delayed by about one hour, affecting 304 passengers.
Asked whether Sunday’s incident was similar to a Jan. 24 system abnormality that did not affect takeoffs and landings, TIAC said the cause of the connectivity failure remains unknown and requires further testing by SITA.
TIAC said it follows standard procedures when abnormalities are reported. If problems stem from local factors such as power supply, maintenance personnel address them immediately. If the issue involves the system manufacturer, the company reports it for prompt handling.
The airport operator said it would strengthen on-site staffing and passenger guidance as needed and reminded travelers to check the latest flight information before heading to the airport. It advised arriving early and cooperating with staff to complete check-in and boarding procedures smoothly.
