Airlines, Airplanes, and Airports

[ryanr]

Originally posted by boybaha

Hmm. It is a nice aerial shot... but it kind of makes Makati look dinky in a sea of suburban sprawl. And less green than I thought it was.

I thought Makati was not as green as that...You can see that Makati (northern parts of the picture) is very green. The sprawly and not green parts is Pasay City and parts of Paranaque.

[renell]

i believe this goes here....

Construction of Iloilo
int'l airport starts
Posted: 6:26 AM (Manila Time) | Mar. 23, 2004
By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer News Service

ILOILO CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Sunday announced that the construction of the Iloilo international airport would start this month.

She told a news conference that the Department of Transportation and Communication and the Taisei-Shimizu Joint Venture signed the contract for the construction of the 6.2-billion-peso airport last March 15.


On Friday, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) signed its concurrence to the contract. JBIC is putting in 5.2 billion pesos for the project from its Special Yen Loan Package.

Ms Macapagal also announced the awarding of the contract to build a 4.8-billion-peso regional airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental to the Taneka-Itochu consortium.

The Iloilo airport is set to be completed in 42 months.

Ms Macapagal said the Iloilo City airport is the fourth busiest in the country in terms of the number of passengers next to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Mactan (Cebu) and Davao international airports.

The new airport will be constructed in a 188-hectare area straddling the towns of Sta. Barbara and Cabatuan, which is around 24 km west of Iloilo City.

It will have state-of-the-art facilities including a modern terminal, control tower buildings, and landing and navigation systems. It will have a runway 2.5 km long and 45 meters wide, a passenger terminal with 12,000 sq m of space and a 1,281 sq m-cargo terminal.

The President said more jobs and opportunities will be forthcoming with the opening of the Iloilo and Silay airports.

The site of the old airport in Mandurriao District here will be converted into a commercial and light industry complex, according to the President.

But a group of landowners under the Airport Concerned Alliance has accused the government of failing to provide an acceptable relocation site and livelihood programs for displaced families from the airport site.

Drilon said the government is addressing the complaint and allotted P20 million for it

[huaiwei]

Grr....how come I dont see any "aerial" shot u guys are musing about?

Anyway, SIA flew to Las Vegas two years ago, and suspended it since the SARS crisis....its PAL's turn now to fly there!

[absent-minded]

Originally posted by huaiwei

Grr....how come I dont see any "aerial" shot u guys are musing about?

Anyway, SIA flew to Las Vegas two years ago, and suspended it since the SARS crisis....its PAL's turn now to fly there!

It's over here!

looks like a good route for PAL to expand into... I hear a lot of Pinoys in Vancouver want to visit Las Vegas... Maybe they should have one from SanFran or LA as well...

[huaiwei]

Originally posted by absent-minded

It's over here!

looks like a good route for PAL to expand into... I hear a lot of Pinoys in Vancouver want to visit Las Vegas... Maybe they should have one from SanFran or LA as well...

Eh? I still see no photo??

Anyway, why dont PAL just fly straight from Manila to Las Vegas?

[renell]

well i think it's much more affordable, and i don't think they have enough planes.

after Vancouver, PAL used to fly to San Francisco, that was stopped, so now it has been replaced with Las Vegas

[drwho]

GMA bares P140-M airport project
To make Siargao Island a top tourist destination

By GENALYN D. KABILING

SURIGAO CITY – President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo unveiled here a P140-million Sayak airport expansion plan on Siargao Island to attract more foreign tourists and spur economic activities in the region.


At a proclamation rally of the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan para sa Kinabukasan (K-4) attended by some 12,000 Surigaonons at the provincial gymnasium Saturday night, the President talked about government plans to make Surigao del Norte a top tourist destination.

The President said she had discussed with Secretary Leandro Mendoza of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) the airport expansion project.

“To accommodate the influx of foreign tourists to Siargao Island, we need an expansion of the present airport. The project will cost around R140 million. I’d already talked with Secretary Mendoza to allocate P50 million, and Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) general manager Robert Dean Barbers will provide P50 million for this project,” she said.

The President also said that Barbers has earmarked an additional P50 million for the P140-million airport expansion project.

Aside from the airport expansion, the President also announced a P50-million modernization of the Siargao provincial gymnasium to revive sport activities in the province.

For expansion of the sport facility, K-4 re-electionist Sen. Robert Barbers pledged P5 million; Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, P5 million; Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, P10 million; and Philippine Tourism Authority General Manager Barbers, P10 million. The government will subsidize the remaining P20 million.

Other political leaders who attended the political rally were Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Glenda Ecleo and Surigao City Mayor Alfonso Cassura, Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay, Agusan del Sur Gov. Eddie Bong Plaza and Iligan City Mayor Franklin Quijano.

K-4 senatorial candidates present in the proclamation rally were reelectionist Senators Barbers, Rodolfo Biazon, Robert Jaworski and John Osmeña; former defense secretary Orlando Mercado, ARMM Gov. Parouk Hussin, former Videogram Regulatory Board chairman Ramon Revilla Jr. and former tourism secretary Richard Gordon.

From Bukidnon

SURIGAO CITY — President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, taking a helicopter ride from Bukidnon, arrived in the city Saturday to hold a campaign rally and met with the local government officials from the Caraga Region who declared full support to her presidential candidacy.

Along with her running mate Senator Noli de Castro and several K-4 senatorial candidates, the President heard a mass yesterday morning and made a quick motorcade in the city before she departed for Pangasinan for another sortie.

She recalled the Surigaonons have supported her political career particularly in winning elective posts in 1992 as senator and 1998 as vice president. She said she hopes that Surigao would swing her to victory in the May polls.

A day before the President and the rest of the K-4 coalition bets arrived here, local government officials declared Surigao del Norte “a K-4 country.”

Malaybalay City, Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon Barbers, Rep. Glenda Ecleo (1st District), Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (2nd District), and Surigao City Mayor Alfonso Cassura predicted an overwhelming victory for the administration candidates in the May 10 national polls.

Following the steady rise in Arroyo’s ratings in pre-election surveys, Governor Barbers said the electorate has realized that the country needs an experienced leader like Arroyo to achieve sustained progress in the next six years.

The residents of this city gave a warm welcome to the President and the K-4 senatorial candidates led by Senator Barbers during their overnight visit here. K-4 Senatoriables present in the proclamation rally were re-electionist Senators Barbers, Rodolfo Biazon, Robert Jaworski, John Osmena, former Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, ARMM Governor Parouk Hussin, former VRB Chief Ramon Revilla Jr and former Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon.

Security up

SURIGAO CITY — Presidential campaign spokesman Michael Defensor yesterday said President Arroyo’s security would be raised to protect her from possible assassination by her desperate enemies who seek to dislodge her as the frontrunner in the presidential race.

“We did not expect that the surveys would be this high. We’re worried that elements might get desperate and do something with the President,” he said.

Defensor however could not pinpoint the enemy or enemies of Arroyo, who has overtaken movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. in opinion polls.

“I don’t want to allude to anyone but of course this is an election. Historically, some things happened when you have a leading candidate especially in a heated fight,” he said.

He said national and local candidates often create enemies during elections. “Kahit sino puwede,” he added.

Defensor denied the administration camp was being paranoid and admitted they have not received any major death threats against the President.

“The President is still the President and if the polls are going up as early now, then we have to ensure her security,” he said.

With the lingering threat to the life of Arroyo, Defensor said he has to coordinate the campaign sorties with the Presidential Security Group (PSG) to ensure the safety of the incumbent.

The new security plan would include the limited movement of the President during her visits in the provinces but not to the extent of wearing bulletproof vests, Defensor said.

Defensor recalled a minor security incident in the Pangasinan sortie two weeks ago when a man with a knife was apprehended before he could approach the President.

During campaign visits of the President, a group of PGS personnel accompany Arroyo most of them in civilian clothes. An advanced PSGM team is usually sent to the campaign site a day before the President’s arrival for security arrangements.

The President however often breaks her campaign schedule when she suddenly disembarks from her car to greet residents waiting in the streets. The close-in security aides jostle with the crowd preventing them from getting too near to the President.

http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN200403084279.html

[ryanr]

All good news! Isnt Surigao the place where there are cloud-9 waves, one of the best waves for surfing? If so, then this airport will surely increase tourism activity there esp. for surfers.

[renell]

Originally posted by GreyX

All good news! Isnt Surigao the place where there are cloud-9 waves, one of the best waves for surfing? If so, then this airport will surely increase tourism activity there esp. for surfers.

yeah, the top surfing destination in the country, because of the Pacific Ocean waves.

[ryanr]

Then im glad the govt. is improving infrastructure there. Tourism is very important to the economy and surfers are great tourists to have as they come and numbers and spread the word to non-surfers too.

[ryanr]

Something on NAIA 1:

NAIA terminal congestion blamed on design flaw

By Sandy Araneta
The Philippine Star 04/04/2004

The officer-in-charge of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has attributed the congestion and long lines of passengers at the departure area to a flaw in the design of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 building.

"There is a defect in the design of the NAIA Terminal 1 building," said lawyer Oscar Paras Jr. during a press conference last Friday in Pasay City.

Paras, who has taken over as airport chief while MIAA General Manager Edgardo Manda campaigns for President Arroyo, said they would be taking care of the problem by early next week as complaints from passengers continue to mount.

He explained that the NAIA Terminal 1 building was built in such a way that the distance from the entrance at the front lobby to the X-ray machines is just a few meters.

"The queuing extends up to the stairs going down the terminal," Paras said.

Passengers said the new security measures being implemented by the NAIA security officers has significantly slowed down the check-in process.

Passengers are required to remove belts, cellular phones, wallets containing coins, bags and other metallic objects as well as their shoes, which are then placed in baskets so they can pass through the X-ray machines.

Paras stressed that everyone must follow the security measures amid terrorist threats and attacks worldwide.

He advises passengers to check in early, especially for international flights at the NAIA terminals.

"We simply cannot comprise security," Paras said. Meanwhile, earlier that day, Paras led the ceremonial "switch on" of lighting masts and street lights at the NAIA General Aviation (GenAv) area.

The project, which cost P11 million, includes the installation of eight lighting masts at the GenAv area, six of which are at the south GenAv and two at the north Genav.

Each mast consists of five to eight halide bulbs of 1,500 watts each.

Ten streetlights of 400 watts each are installed around the access road surrounding the hangars.

With the new lights, MIAA will be paying an estimated P157,000 additional expense per month for electricity .

The company tapped to undertake the project was Evercon Builders & Equipment Corp. It was completed within 141 days, from Nov. 3, 2003 to Feb. 21, 2004.

---------------------

Why? Just move to NAIA 3 to ease all the problems!!

[renell]

man, that means i have to face that in 2 weeks.

[ryanr]

Yeah...Last January, on my way back to Jakarta, we were stuck on the entrance of NAIA 1 for more than an hour....the line was just so damn long.

[Thunderflip]

That is the most amazing Philippine aerial I've ever seen in my life!PAL is the first airline in Asia, be proud of it!Cebu Pacific has colorful planes,with this you can see how prosperous Cebu is!Pieces of art that fly in the sky,how patriotic is this!

[SKYLINEPIGEON]

More European carriers cease Manila flights

Another European carrier has joined the growing number of European airlines that have stopped flying to the Philippines for lack of traffic, particularly tourists, and cutthroat competition.

Effective last March 28, Swiss International stopped its flights to Manila.

Likewise, on April 1, Air France, another European carrier, ceased direct flights from Paris to Manila and will now be flying via Bangkok.

Earlier, British Airways and Alitalia stopped flying to the country, while KLM has ceased its direct Europe-Philippines flights and is now flying via Kuala Lumpur.

The National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS), the largest organization of travel and tour operators in the country, expressed sadness over this development.

Robert Lim Joseph, NAITAS chairman, said while the country has given traffic rights and access to European carriers, market realities have made these airlines decide to stop their flights to the country.

"Now that we don’t have direct flights to the biggest tourist market in the world, it would be very difficult to promote our country in Europe. This means less tourists from Europe," Joseph said.

He said European traffic "will now instead go to our neighbors in Asia as they have direct flights and shorter traveling time."

"We have tourism officers in Europe but without direct Europe flights, how can our attaches promote the country," he pointed out.

To add to the problem, Joseph said, the country has increased the flight entitlements of Middle East and Asian carriers to Manila, enabling these airlines to poach on the RP-Europe market.

He said one major reason for the withdrawal of European carriers is the very low fare as Middle East carriers are dumping prices due to excessive frequencies given to these airlines.

The privately-owned European and Philippine carriers could not compete fairly with the government-subsidized Middle East airlines, and thus felt the economic pressure to cut back or stop operations to Manila.

What is ironic, Joseph said, is that we have accommodated Middle East carriers to fly more frequencies to our country but the Department of Tourism has not promoted Middle East traffic to the Philippines.

On the other hand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand have been aggressive in their promotional efforts, thus getting a substantial slice of the Middle East traffic.

He criticized the move of the Freedom to Fly Coalition (FFC) to open up Philippine skies purportedly to attract tourists.

"Without the market there will be no flights," Joseph said.

He refuted FFC’s claim that giving foreign carriers more flights would make the Philippines a hub. "What the FFC does not know is that these foreign airlines prefer flying via Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, so we have made our Asian neighbors the hub, not our country."

[ryanr]

Sad news for our aviation industry and tourism volume. Too bad.

Another major carrier that seized its flights to MNL is United. It took place a while ago but still less flights to MNL

[ryanr]

Maybe they could come back when NAIA 3 is open and also Clark.

[SKYLINEPIGEON]

but according to the latest news tourist arrivals did increase this year compared last year despite of the travel advisories, security concern, kidnapping, terrorist threats and bombings, political uncertainties, crimes etc etc i do believe that our country is still a safe place to live and tourists that comes in are not so concern abt this they know they can stay and enjoy their stay safe and sound

[SKYLINEPIGEON]

when it comes to tourism sadly we are left behind by our neighbours, singapore, malaysia, thailand, indonesia and even vietnam

[renell]

well that article didnt cite any terrorism, but most European airlines do stopover certain SEA cities before traveling to Manila.

i guess it's just all due to competition. but good thing it's not complete cut-off of European flights. it is true that in Frankfurt-Bangkok flights, the airplane is full, but in the Bangkok-Manila sector, there are considerably less people