CLARK FREEPORT – Business groups all over Central Luzon expressed strong support to the transfer of turboprop flights to the Clark International Airport and other alternative airports to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
A joint resolution of the Clark Investors and Locators Association, Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce, American Chamber of Commerce North Luzon, Freeport of Bataan Investors and Locators Association, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Tarlac, Metro Clark ICT Council, Metro Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hotel and Restaurant Association in Pampanga, and the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the transfer of interisland flights to CRK “would create more direct connections to Regions 1, 2, 3 and the CARR, making travel more accessible and affordable to about 23 million people from these regions as well as the 7 million people from the northern part of the National Capital Region.”
“Air transport creates employment, facilitates trade, enables tourism and supports sustainable development, thus, playing a vital role in facilitating economic growth, especially for developing countries,” the resolution said.
It noted that “NAIA has recently attained a record high of 50.1 million passengers in 2024, way beyond its current passenger capacity of 35 million passengers per year.”
Congestion at the NAIA was “presenting significant challenges to passenger experience and overall efficiency,” it added.
Passenger traffic at NAIA is expected to register a passenger volume growth of about 20% to 30% this year equivalent to its planned capacity of 60 million passengers per year that is scheduled to be achieved after another 4 to 5 years.
“One of the measures that can be taken to increase passenger capacity significantly and expediently at NAIA is to transfer all turbo-prop flights to secondary airports giving way to jet planes that have four times more air seats per craft than turbo-prop planes and can increase hourly aircraft movements from the present 30-40 to about 488,” the resolution suggested.
It furthered that the transfer of turboprop flights to alternative airports will not only decongest NAIA “but also allow it to meet projected growth in passenger traffic in a more expedient manner thereby mitigating challenges such as frequent delays, crowded terminals, and compromised service quality.”
“It would free up valuable runway slots that would allow NAIA to accommodate more larger, long-haul aircraft that require shorter distances between planes in the same route, reducing runway congestion and minimizing delays,” it added.
“Redistributing turboprop flights to alternative airports such as the Clark International Airport or the Sangley Point Airport with underutilized capacities will improve the overall absorptive capacity of the country for international as well as domestic flights and catalyze economic growth in their respective sphere of operations,” the resolution noted.
The Manila Slot Coordination Committee, composed of the Department of Transportation, Manila International Airport Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Civil Aeronautics Board and the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp., the San Miguel Corp.-led operator of NAIA issued a resolution issued last December that carriers must transfer 30% of their turboprop operations out of NAIA starting March 30, 2025. Punto News Team
The post CL biz groups back transfer of turboprop flights to CRK appeared first on Punto! Central Luzon.