Flights diverted from Taoyuan International Airport on the evening of April 12 due to severe weather conditions. Thunderstorms and strong winds made it unsafe for aircraft to land at the airport. As a result, five flights had to be rerouted to Kaohsiung. The weather conditions, which resembled those of a tropical storm, caused significant disruptions at Taoyuan.
The Central Weather Administration issued a thunderstorm warning at 9 p.m. on Saturday. It was expected to last until 10:04 p.m. Soon after, a strong wind warning was also issued. Wind gusts exceeding 40 knots were expected until 11:23 p.m. These conditions created dangerous crosswinds, which impacted both landings and takeoffs.
To ensure passenger safety, authorities decided to divert the incoming flights. The affected flights included Cathay Pacific CX464 from Hong Kong, EVA Air BR806 from Macao, Starlux Airlines JX718 from Hanoi, Hong Kong Airlines HX282 from Hong Kong, and China Airlines CI129 from Fukuoka. Each flight had hundreds of passengers onboard.
While diverted, these flights remained grounded in Kaohsiung until conditions improved. Later, they safely continued their journey to Taoyuan. According to airport officials, the disruption was brief compared to the impact of a typhoon. Normally, thunderstorms do not cause major issues, but they can delay ground operations. However, the strong winds on Saturday night had a more significant effect.
Jet bridges could not be used during the storm. The wind exceeded 47 knots, which is beyond the threshold for safe operations. The high gusts also affected the flight paths, making it impossible for planes to land normally.
Flights diverted from Taoyuan International Airport due to strong winds and thunderstorms created a temporary inconvenience. Fortunately, the situation was resolved quickly, and passengers were able to continue their travels.
