In 1935 during the era of Japanese rule, Tainan Airport was proposed by the Tainan Prefecture government due to the need for civil transportation in southern Taiwan. The airport was opened on June 26, 1937 with regular flights to Matsuyama Airport operated by Japan Air Transport. After World War II broke out, this airport was converted to a base for the Tainan Air Group. During the war this airport was named Eineisho Airport by the United States Armed Forces, to distinguish it from other two smaller airports located in now Yongkang and Gueiren District. After the Republic of China government took over Taiwan this airport was handed over to Republic of China Air Force while still maintaining civil flights. Between 1957 and 1979 this airport was stationed by the United States Air Force, once equipped with tactical nuclear weapons on F-4 aircraft from Clark AB with pilots from Clark's 405th Air Expeditionary Wing on alert.. The 868th Tactical Missile Squadron stationed here from 1958 to 1962, which operated MGM-1 Matadors, probably under the ultimate control of the United States Taiwan Defense Command. Air Asia Corporation, headquartered in this airport, prospered during Vietnam War due to the need for aircraft maintenance by the United States Armed Forces. It was the third busiest domestic airport after Taipei Songshan Airport and Kaohsiung Airport until the Taiwan High Speed Rail was inaugurated. With passenger numbers dropping significantly, Far Eastern Air Transport suspended its service between Tainan Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport on 1 March 2008, ending the carrier's 50-year service history at Tainan Airport. Its competitor, TransAsia Airways, also had to downgrade the aircraft it used from a jet to a turboprop to maintain revenue, and finally decided to service through the airport as of 1 August 2008. Because of the shared use with the Air Force, the airport terminal was built quite a distance away from the airfield. Passengers disembark at the apron and board shuttle buses to the terminal. The shared use with the Air Force also means some flights have to be cancelled when the Air Force conducts exercises. In January 2011, the Civil Aeronautics Administration approved the airport to handle international flights. First scheduled International flights began on 18 July 2013 to Hong Kong, with a 3 times weekly service by China Airlines using Boeing 737-800s. Since March 2014 this flight's frequency increases daily but aircraft is downgraded to smaller Embraer E-190, operated by China Airlines' subsidiary Mandarin Airlines.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Accidents and incidents
On 24 February 1969, Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 104, a Handley Page Dart Herald with 36 passengers and crew board, crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Tainan. Everyone on board was killed. On 16 April 1977, a FEATDouglas C-47A B-247 was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident. On 21 March 2003, TransAsia Airways flight 543 on a flight from Taipei Songshan Airport to Tainan Airport, collided with a truck that was on runway 36R. None of the 175 passengers and crew were killed or injured but the two occupants in the truck were injured and the aircraft was written off.
