TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The opening of the first part of the new Terminal 3 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport will be pushed back to the end of the year, reports said Thursday.

According to the original schedule, the terminal’s north concourse was to open in September, followed by the main building and the south concourse in 2027. The first hint at a delay came in an interview by Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) on Wednesday, the Liberty Times reported.

In a reaction to the minister’s comments, Taoyuan International Airport Corporation said work was continuing on the installation of water and power supply systems, with interior decoration to be completed in September. The following months would be devoted to safety tests, the integration of hardware and software systems, and training.

The project involves cooperation with airlines, ground services, maintenance groups, security and quarantine departments to make the new building a success, the company said.

The opening of the north concourse will add eight gates to the airport. Due to design differences with Terminals 1 and 2, staff needed to receive training on how to manage the flow of arriving, departing, and transiting passengers.