Taoyuan airport urges passengers to prepare for air defense drill

Taoyuan, Aug. 12 (CNA) Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Corp. called on passengers traveling on flights Thursday afternoon to arrive early and prepare their boarding documents and payment methods in advance, as an urban resilience and air defense drill will be held in northern Taiwan.

The drill, which will include a simulated slowdown in mobile data services, will run from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday. During the exercise, airport staff will guide passengers to nearby shelters inside the terminals, the airport company said in a press release Wednesday.

The statement said access to the airport would also be affected. The Taoyuan Airport MRT will continue operating, but shuttle buses, intercity buses, taxis and rental cars will be suspended during the exercise. Vehicles already on the road will be required to pull over or enter parking lots as instructed.

The airport operator advised passengers using mobile phones for online check-in, electronic tickets or boarding passes to download or print the documents in advance, or complete check-in before arriving at the airport.

Passengers were also advised to carry physical credit cards or cash, as the simulated slowdown could affect mobile payments and internet access.

Free Wi-Fi services, including the airport's public Wi-Fi and iTaiwan, will remain available and should be used for essential travel-related tasks such as check-in and boarding, the airport operator said.

Voice calls and text messages will not be affected by the mobile data slowdown, the company said, adding that public telephones in the terminals will also be available free of charge if mobile reception is poor.

The airport will temporarily close its observation deck during the drill. Airlines have also been asked to remind arriving passengers to complete their digital Taiwan Arrival Cards during their flights to help speed up immigration procedures.

Airport authorities urged passengers and those picking up or dropping off travelers to allow extra time and follow instructions from police and security personnel during the half-hour exercise.