Updated July 10, 2009 12:00 AM [ philstar.com ]
Manila, Philippines - Major carriers have suspended their flights to the main airport servicing the popular resort island of Boracay in Aklan, citing regulatory problems.
The indefinite suspension, which began yesterday, affects 15 daily flights to the country’s second busiest airport at Caticlan, said Cebu Pacific, the country’s second biggest carrier, next to Philippine Airlines.
Officials said flights will be diverted to Kalibo airport, 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Caticlan, from where passengers will be bussed free of charge for the ferry hop to Boracay.
But other airlines will continue servicing Caticlan.
The decision came after a number of minor accidents at the single-runway airport.
Aviation regulators have imposed restrictions on the use of the runway that mean planes can only land in one direction and take-offs are similarly limited to one direction, a Cebu Pacific official said.
A technical re-definition also effectively shortens the runway, a company statement said.
“We have therefore decided to divert all Caticlan flights to Kalibo instead and from there bus all our Boracay-bound passengers at no extra cost,” Cebu Pacific president and chief executive Lance Gokongwei said.
At least half a million tourists visit the white sand beaches of the tiny island of Boracay every year, according to industry estimates.
Gokongwei said the airline was working with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) “to find a speedy resolution to these airport issues.”
Design poses hazards to operations
Last Wednesday, CAAP aerodrome adviser John Slaughter, who studied Caticlan runway’s configurations, confirmed before airline representatives that the current design of Caticlan runway poses a hazard to aircraft operations.
The CAAP has designated Caticlan, for the time being, as a one-way airport for all carriers: take off should be towards the sea and landing in the opposite direction, shortening the runway.
Sources in the airline industry that attended a hearing between airline companies and the CAAP last Wednesday said the new order would virtually leave only one carrier in the area, the South Asian Airlines.
“We are no longer flying to Caticlan starting today (Thursday) as the CAAP shortened the useable runway, so we’re shifting all our flights to Kalibo until further notice,” Francisco Yngente, PAL vice president for airport services, said.
“Boracay continues to be one of the country’s most important tourism destinations, services have been integral to the growth and development of the island’s tourism industry and increased its accessibility to both local and foreign tourists,” Gokongwei said.
Last June 25, a ZestAir Chinese-made MA60 plane overshot the runway, the second accident in the area. The first happened last January, resulting in injuries to many passengers.
The CAAP said the Department of Transportation had already negotiated with a private company for the extension of Caticlan’s runway and the removal of a hill obstructing the approach of aircraft landing on runway 24 and the entire airport, including a taxiway.
The CAAP said the runway would be lengthen by more than 1,000 meters, enough to accommodate Airbus 320 or other aircraft of similar configuration. – Rudy Santos
____________________________________________________________________________________