WITH its readiness to start operations for the Christmas season, the operators of the new terminal of the Clark International Airport are now in talks with airline companies to mount more flights in Clark Freeport.
In a video press conference, Bi Yong Chungungco, chief executive officer of the Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp. (Lipad), said they now have a “wish list” that would restore more flights to more destinations.
“It’s not only us having this wish list but even the airlines want to come,” Bi Yong said, recalling that the airport used to cater to more airlines prior to the pandemic.
She said Asiana Airlines, one of South Korea’s flag carriers, will restart its flights in and out of Clark International Airport in time for the holidays.
Asiana’s flights service thousands of Filipinos in the US with its onward connections to New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Flights were suspended with the debilitating effects of the global pandemic on the travel industry.
However, even with its readiness, Bi Yong said that Clark airport’s full use could be delayed as border restrictions and quarantine rules that are currently in effect may keep authorities from having more flights in Clark Freeport.
“They all want to (come) but we are sorry we are limited because of restrictions where passengers have to go through quarantine. And they can only use quarantine facilities here in the region,” she said.
She said the airport could restore more flights and destinations by more airlines when border controls and quarantine rules imposed in airports like Clark International Airport are eased down.
“Hopefully, once we had achieved herd immunity and most of our borders restrictions are lifted. For instance, allowing vaccinated passengers to go on just 1-2 days of quarantine, then we can accept more flights,” she added.
“Today, sorry we are turning down flights,” she added.
Clark International Airport has about 670 domestic and international flights per week at the peak of its operations prior to the onset of the pandemic in January 2020. It posted a peak record two million passenger traffic in the first half of 2019. (Noel G. Tulabut/SunStar Pampanga)