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Taiwanese travelers' auto-gate eligibility unchanged at Prague Airport; flags removed from screens

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Prague's Václav Havel Airport has removed national flags from its departure auto-gate screens, replacing them with country codes.
  • This change is part of a system optimization and does not affect the eligibility of Taiwanese travelers using the eGATE system with their passports.
  • The airport confirmed that Taiwanese passport holders can continue to use the auto-gate under the same conditions as before.

Prague's Václav Havel Airport has updated its departure auto-gate system, a change that has drawn attention from Taiwanese travelers. The screens, which previously displayed national flags, now feature only country codes. This modification is part of a broader optimization of the information display system.

Airport spokesperson Denisa Hejtmánková clarified that the change is purely visual and does not alter the functionality or eligibility for using the eGATE automatic border control system. "We hereby officially confirm that eligible Taiwanese passport holders can still use the eGATE automatic border control system at Prague Havel Airport under the exact same conditions as before," she stated.

Hejtmánková explained that the update is intended to standardize the display, moving away from flags to a uniform text format showing only country codes. Consequently, all national flags will be removed from the screen displays. The airport plans to expand the list of eligible third countries in the coming week.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged the situation, confirming that the right of Taiwanese citizens to use the auto-gate system remains unaffected. The ministry stated it will continue to defend national dignity and protect citizens' rights. The change affects travelers from Taiwan, the UK, Japan, and South Korea, who were granted access to the eGATE system in May.

We hereby officially confirm that eligible Taiwanese passport holders can still use the eGATE automatic border control system at Prague Havel Airport under the exact same conditions as before.

— Denisa HejtmánkováSpokesperson for Václav Havel Airport, clarifying the auto-gate system changes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.