File photo.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has revived the idea of having a dual airport system to help solve the current problems hounding the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The plan requires NAIA and Clark International Airports to be fully operational in order to accommodate a larger number of passengers arriving and departing the country.
Based on reports, departures from Luzon usually reach up to 6 million passengers while Clark Airport has only more than 800,000.
Meanwhile, a study conducted by Clark Airport Management reveals that NAIA could accommodate about 27 million passengers from southern Luzon and the National Capital Region while Clark Aiport can accommodate 23 million passengers from northern Luzon and central Luzon areas.
But since flights at Clark are limited, almost all flights take place at NAIA.
Last Monday, the capacity and capability of Clark International Airport was put to test when some of the flights at NAIA were diverted due to problems on runway 06-24.
As a result, a number of flights were delayed and the airport was congested.
Hence, the Clark Airport Management has concluded that they couldn’t accommodate such large volume of passengers plus the fact that there is not enough flight schedules yet at the airport.
“Clark is not yet used to consecutive flights. At present, Clark is still well spaced. I understand their predicament about having no enough market. Of course, they are looking at the business aspect. But similar to other businesses, you should calculate and there are risks so you have to test your market,” said Clark International Airport President and CEO Dino Tanjuatco.
Still, they hope that the new administration will help improve the current state of the Clark Airport.
“We hope that [the government] would include Clark in its development plans because it is included in the plan of decongesting NAIA. Again, just imagine if you redistribute some flights to Clark. You have decongested EDSA and NAIA,” Tanjuatco said.
Once the proposed dual airport system is approved, the Department of Transportation is planning to put up a direct rail system that would run from Metro Manila to Clark to establish connectivity between the two airports and also to shorten the travel time for passengers coming from Manila to Clark.
(MON JOCSON/UNTV NEWS & RESCUE)
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