HOUSE Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Representative Prospero Pichay Jr. said Monday, August 20, it is high time for the government to consider transferring the international flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila to Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
A Xiamen Air aircraft skidded off the runway five minutes before Friday midnight, August 17. The plane was disabled after one engine was ripped off. It was removed only about 36 hours later on Saturday noon, August 18.
The incident caused the shutdown of the runway and the cancellation and delay of outgoing flights. Thousands of passengers were stranded not only at the NAIA but in other airports as well. Incoming international flights had to be diverted to Clark, Cebu and Davao, as well as Hong Kong, Bangkok and Tokyo.
In a press conference at the Batasan Pambansa Complex regarding the separate investigations that would be launched into the Xiamen Air accident, Pichay said “it’s about time the government look into moving flights at the over-congested NAIA.
“Grabe ang traffic sa NAIA. We only have one runway, other countries, they have two run ways, three runways in an airport so I think it’s about time that we really transfer the international airport to Clark because Clark has two runways,” said Pichay.
Importance of Clark airport
Over the weekend, Makati City Representative Luis Campos Jr. also emphasized the importance of developing Clark airport Pampanga as an alternate gateway following the mishap at NAIA.
“We are all for the continuous upgrading and expansion of Clark so that it can easily accommodate a greater number of international as well as domestic flights,” Campos said.
“We really have to build up Clark to decongest the NAIA, which is bursting at the seams in terms of aircraft and passenger traffic,” said Campos, a deputy minority leader.
The Department of Transportation is already spending P2.74 billion this year to further modernize Clark, according to Campos, a member of the House appropriations committee.
“In fact, Clark already has an Instrument Landing System (ILS) that makes it possible for the primary runway to handle flights after 6 p.m.,” Campos said.
The ILS enables pilots to conduct a fully automated or instrument approach to landing if they are unable to establish visual contact with the runway, for example, at night or during poor weather conditions.
Now operating night and day, Clark handled 7,709 domestic flight arrivals and departures that moved 647,929 passengers from January to June this year. In the same six-month period, Clark also handled 4,094 international flights and departures that conveyed 644,422 passengers.
Clark airport ready
Meanwhile, after a total of 14 flights were diverted to Clark International Airport following the Xiamen Airlines aircraft incident, Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) president Alexander Cauguiran said the Clark airport is ready for such an emergency.
"CIAC, the airlines and the agencies involved here were ready for such an event and responded accordingly," said Cauguiran, who was at the passenger terminal himself to oversee the operations.
At least 1,900 passengers of the diverted flights deplaned and were served at Clark airport. Passengers of the diverted flights also boarded buses that would take them to NAIA in Manila. (JTD/With PS Jun Sarmiento and SunStar Philippines)