Taipei, Dec. 9 (CNA) A new terminal is being planned for the Kaohsiung International Airport to better integrate local and international air travel, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said Monday.

The terminal is expected to replace the two existing terminals stage by stage, said CAA official Lin Hung-hsien.

The CAA first decided to renovate the current facilities in 2017, planning only to replace the domestic terminal with a new one able to handle both domestic and international flights, which will be connected to the existing international terminal with a 343-meter concourse.

That plan was adjusted earlier this year, Lin said.

The original plan was to tear down the domestic terminal, build another one right next to the international terminal and make them a joint complex for both local and international flights, he added.

However, this was not seen as practical, because of problems making the old and new systems compatible, according to Lin.

The CAA therefore started looking at a complete new building, to be constructed in stages to avoid disruptions in flight operations, he said.

Lin said that a review of the project will be completed by the end of this year, which will then undergo an environmental impact assessment next year.

If permitted, the NT$38.4 billion (US$1.26 billion) construction project could start in 2022 and be completed in eight to ten years, he said.