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Taiwan Airport's New Name (and Nickname)

This just in from the Ilha Formosa: Taiwan's busiest airport, Chiang Kai-shek International, has been renamed Taiwan Taoyuan International. The change swung through cabinet quickly, and was officially approved on September 6. The airport code, TPE, will stay the same.

"TTI" lies about 25 miles outside Taipei, in Taoyuan county, and was previously named for former president Chiang Kai-shek. Claims that the switch was not politically motivated have been doubted by, oh, pretty much everyone, but at least officials from the People's Republic of China should be tickled pink.

Also, in what is surely a nod to those who have suffered extended layovers there, a poster on FlyerTalk is reporting that when the airport's name is shortened for convenience, it translates to "cut off your head" in Taiwanese.