In summer 1998 , EVA Air opened a direct flight between Kaohsiung and Los Angeles , but it was discontinued only three months later due to low ridership . Northwest Airlines operated the Kaohsiung – Osaka route from 1999 to 2001 , and the Tokyo route from 2002 to 2003 . These two routes were separately suspended due to the low load caused by the September 11 attacks and SARS outbreak . After Taiwan High Speed Rail , the high speed rail line that runs between Taipei and Kaohsiung along Taiwan 's western plains , began operation in January 2007 , Kaohsiung Airport suffered large reduction in passenger and flight movements . The convenience of Taiwan High Speed Rail and record-high costs of jet fuel were eating up most load factors to Taipei , caused flights between cities on Taiwan 's western plains to cease operation , with the last domestic flight between Taipei Songshan and Kaohsiung ceased operation on 31 August 2012 . The dedicated international connecting flight between Kaohsiung and Taoyuan stopped on 1 July 2017 , after over thirty years of operation
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Kaohsiung International Airport