Sunday, August 19, 2007 ‘Scary moment’ By Ma. Ester L. Espina
* Bacolod-bound plane diverted to Iloilo; passengers scared
AN AIR Philippines plane bound for Bacolod City from Cebu City was diverted on Friday to the airport in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo after it failed to land due to strong winds and rain.
Passengers, mostly sugar planters who are jetting in from Cebu after attending the 54th Philippine Sugar Technologists (Philsutech) Convention, claimed that it was quite “a scary moment” when they felt the plane swerve up again just as they were about to touch down.
Journalist, Rolly Espina said they can see the runway just a few feet below already when suddenly strong rain rendered the runway completely invisible from above “which probably prompted the pilot to bring the plane back up instead of risking overshooting the runway towards the sea.”
Espina added that while passengers may have been inconvenienced by the incident “many of us applauded the pilot for his quick decision.”
On board the flight were former vice governor Roy Gamboa, First Farmers Mill president, Jose Villanueva, sugar planters Bernard Trebol, Joemarie Montinola and many others.
Air Philippines Flight A210 was diverted to the new Sta. Barbara Airport of international standard in Iloilo province where it stayed in the tarmac for about an hour before flying the passengers to Bacolod City . The flight is co-shared by Philippine Airlines for the Cebu-Bacolod route.
The incident came amidst strong lobby to retain the operation of the Bacolod airport which is scheduled to be decommissioned at the end of the year once the new Bacolod-Silay airport of international standard in Silay City will be opened officially.
Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia strongly backs the retention of the Bacolod airport as transferring the entire operations in Silay will mean lost revenues for the city.
However, many technical experts have deemed the Bacolod airport one of the most difficult runways in the Philippines because of its length and wind factor affecting landing maneuvers. At some point, there are claims that for a Filipino pilot to be called an expert, he or she has to successfully land at the Bacolod airport.
Several years back, a Philippine Airlines plane overshot the runway towards one of the busiest nightspots in Bacolod.
Scores were injured and that incident started the lobby to look for an alternative airport site.
