Czech airport to drop flags from eGate display; Taiwan access unchanged

Prague, July 3 (CNA) Václav Havel Airport in Prague, the Czech Republic, said Friday that all national flags will be removed from its eGate displays as part of a systemwide update, adding that Taiwanese travelers remain eligible to use the automated clearance system.

The airport's response came after Taiwanese travelers visiting Prague noticed in mid-June that the Republic of China's (Taiwan) flag had been removed from the eGate displays, although the country code "TW" remained.

In a response to CNA's inquiry, airport spokesperson Denisa Hejtmánková said the update only changes how information is displayed on eGate screens and does not affect which passengers can use the automated border clearance system.

Hejtmánková confirmed that eligible Taiwanese travelers holding ROC passports can continue using the airport's eGate system under the same conditions as before.

The update is part of a broader overhaul of the eGate display system, with the display list set to be expanded next week to include more eligible countries that are not considered high-risk, she said.

The spokesperson added that the new system will adopt a standardized text-only format showing country codes instead of flags, stressing that the change only affects how information is presented and not travelers' eligibility to use the system.

However, the reason for the initial removal of the ROC flag was not immediately explained.

Earlier Friday, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said it had been informed of the issue by its representative office in the Czech Republic, adding that Taiwanese travelers' eligibility to use Prague airport's eGate system remains unchanged.

Prague's Václav Havel Airport opened its eGate system on May 15 to eligible travelers from Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea departing for destinations outside the Schengen Area.

According to MOFA, the measure was introduced to help ease congestion at the airport following the rollout of the European Union's Entry/Exit System on April 10, while also reflecting Taiwanese travelers' long record of complying with Czech immigration rules.