MNL/BCD/ILO/CEB/DVO/CRK/MPH/PPS | Philippines Airports

[SugarFreak]

Vol. XXI, No. 120
Friday, January 18, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES

New airport opens today

BACOLOD CITY — Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra yesterday celebrated mass and blessed the new P5.6-billion New Bacolod (Silay) Airport, which will start commercial operations today.

Vice-President Manuel "Noli" L. de Castro will inaugurate the new airport this afternoon together with Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro R. Mendoza, Minister Akira Sugiyama of the Japanese embassy, Japan Bank for International Cooperation representative H. Togo and local government officials.

The old 37-hectare airport in Bacolod, which had been in operation since 1936, was shut down after the last flight last night.

Still opposing the new airport, Bacolod Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia, who was in the last flight, said the Torres and Lizares families who donated the property for the old airport, have the legal right to regain the property if it is no longer used as an airport.

"According to the donors — the Lizares and Torres families, the property is meant for an airport. So that if it is going to be sold, or used for something else, they may have a legal right to take it back," he said.

The Lizares and Torres families donated 17 hectares for the airport. Tycoon Lucio C. Tan owns the other 20 hectares.

Retain old airport

Mr. Leonardia was in Manila to submit a petition for the retention of the old airport to Executive Secretary Eduardo R. Ermita. The petition was supported by 100,000 signatures.

The new airport, located about 20 kilometers north of Bacolod in Barangay Bagtic, Silay City, occupies 187 hectares, has a 2,000-meter runway, 15 check-in counters, and three pre-departure areas that lead to three tubes.

It has a cargo terminal building and a fire fighting station, located right next to the control tower

Originally Posted by SUV111

NBSA is now open

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Mabuhay Lounge

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[SugarFreak]

New Bacolod, Iloilo airports to be declared int’l gateways

By Carla Gomez
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 18:07:00 01/17/2008

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines -- The Philippine government will declare the New Bacolod-Silay and Iloilo airports international gateways open to flights from neighboring Asian countries, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said Thursday.

“We are declaring both airports international gateways because they conform to international standards. And if there are airlines that want to bring in international flights they can operate immediately,” Mendoza said.

The two airports, he said, met standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The P5.6-billion New Bacolod-Silay Airport in Barangay (village) Bagtic, Silay, begins domestic flight operations Friday.[/SIZE]

Declaring the airport an international gateway will bring progress to Negros Occidental, Mendoza said, citing as an example the vicinity around the Cebu International Airport, which has become an industrial zone.

“They are building two golf courses around the new Iloilo airport and declaring an area as an industrial zone,” he said.

Mendoza said the Kalibo airport, which had been declared an international gateway, now has daily flights from Korea, with a few flights also coming in from China.

The Philippine government is also opening other airports, such as the Lagindingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro City, replacing the existing Cagayan de Oro and Iligan airports, which sit on plateaus with very low cloud ceilings, Mendoza said.

The Lagindingan Airport is 40 kilometers from the Cagayan de Oro Airport and the Santa Barbara Airport in Iloilo is 22 kilometers from Iloilo City.

Mendoza also disclosed that the Philippines would host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations transportation ministers meeting for 2008.

“The more international destinations we have, the better for the country because we are going to be competitive,” he said.

The secretary, however, said the old Bacolod airport could not be upgraded to international standards because it did not have the space and could not be compliant with ICAO standards.

The ICAO requires the distance between two airports to be no less than 40 kilometers. The distance between the Bacolod and Silay airports is only 18 kilometers.

Originally Posted by SUV111

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[SugarFreak]

January 19, 2008
Negros now open to world, endless opportunities: Noli
BY CARLA GOMEZ


(A rainbow rose over the New Bacolod-Silay Airport yesterday morning as if ushering the dawning of a beautiful day for Negros Occidental.)

SILAY CITY – The P5.6 billion New Bacolod Silay Airport that has opened up Negros Island to the rest of the world will bring in endless growth opportunities for Negros Island , Vice President Noli de Castro said yesterday.

De Castro led the inauguration of the new alternate international airport here yesterday afternoon also attended by Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, and Japanese and Negrense officials.

The 72-year-old Bacolod airport was closed down Thursday evening after the last flight out.

“The endless opportunities that this new and modern airport could bring to Silay City and to Negros Island does not mean that Silay's gain is Bacolod 's lost,” de Castro said.

The world class airport will allow both cities to move on, he said, because “now Bacolod can concentrate on its competitive edge in commerce, business and the service sector.”

“Being a highly urbanized city Bacolod has a great potential to develop central business districts and commercial mix-use areas,” he said.

The site of the Bacolod City airport given its location and developments in its immediate surroundings can be transformed into a business district, the vice president said.

This is the same tack Iloilo City took when its old airport was closed down to give way to a new one in Cabatuan town, he pointed out.

Megaworld has purchased the old Iloilo airport site for development into residential and commercial areas, he said.

“When one door closes another opens, but only if one uses this saying in a practical and prudent way,” de Castro said.

The new airport in Silay City will bring economic development not only to Negros Island but the rest of Central Visayas , he said.

NEW ROAD

De Castro said work on the extension of the new airport runway by 500 meters to accommodate larger aircraft from the United States and Europe will begin in the second quarter of this year.

In fact with its current 2,000 meter runway it can already accommodate a 300-seater Airbus A-330, Mendoza said.

Aircraft of that size from around the world can already land at the Silay airport now, Mendoza said.

De Castro said Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, has also informed him that work on a 10-kilometer road that will connect the Bacolod circumferential road to the new airport will begin this year.

This will reduce travel time from Bacolod to the new airport to 15 minutes, de Castro said.

‘GIVE CHANGE A CHANCE'

Acting Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco appealed to all to give the new airport the full support that it needs so that it can operate at its maximum potential.

The operations of the new airport will directly benefit Negros Occidental as it would encourage more tourists and investors to the province, he said.

Zayco said he echoes the appeal of the airport officials to give change a chance. “This is a change, no doubt for the better,” he said.

A NEW ‘TOWN'

Silay Mayor Jose Montelibano said with the new airport the world finally comes to within reach of Negros .

It will also change the landscape of the vicinity around the airport from sugar farms to industrial economic zones. We will see technology-based industries that will create jobs for thousands of Negrenses, he said.

A new town or center of business and development for Silay City will be built around the new airport since the old historical structures in the city proper cannot be demolished, Montelibano said.

Congressmen present at the inauguration rites were Nergos Occidental Representatives Julio Ledesma IV (1 st District), Alfredo Marañon III (2 nd District) Jose Carlos Lacson (3 rd District), and Jeffrey Ferrer (4 th District), Puentevella ( Bacolod ) and Mikey Arroyo (Pampanga, 2 nd District).

BEST LIVELIHOOD

The new airport is the best livelihood project for the third district and the province of Negros Occdental , Lacson said.

Puentevella, Marañon III and Ferrer also all said the new airport would be a boost the economic growth of Negros Occidental.

Sugar Regulatory Administrator Rafael Coscolluela, former Negros Occidental governor, said “After all the sentimentalism is done and finished I hope people will realize that a new airport of international standards will ultimately be beneficial to Negros Occidental, Bacolod City and Western Visayas .”

Coscolluela said he understands some people feel it is inconvenient to have to go all the way to Silay to get to the airport but many of us who travel to Manila are used to going to the airport there three hours ahead of our flights.

“It is a matter making adjustments, let's think about the long term. This will be beneficial to all of us in the long term, this opens up the door for international flights, which would never ever have happened if we retained the Bacolod airport only,” he said.

The new airport was built on a loan by the Philippine government from the Japan Bank of International Cooperation that was represented yesterday by Hiroshio Togo . Also present was Minister Eiichi Oshima of the Embassy of Japan.

Oshima said with the new airport in Silay, gives Negros Occidental a new basis for future growth.

He pointed out that Negros Occidental is the fifth biggest domestic airport in terms of passengers in the Philippines , which have increased by 50 percent in the last 10 years.

The province needed a bigger and more efficient airport to meet its growing demand, and the new one in Silay will boost economic activity and quality of life for Negrenses, Oshima said.

Meanwhile, an SM City Bacolod airport shuttle located at its south transport terminal departs for the new airport at 4 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. with a fee of P100 per passenger.*CPG

[Chrisvenz]

up

[Gil]

bump and admin merge please

[diz]

oh dang. i was looking for this.

[jeffphilippines]

AIR PHILIPPINES NOW HAVE AIRBUS A320 FLYING THIS MARCH 2010

[unity]

Great job Philippines... Great job!!!

[junstein]

cebu mactan internation airport TERMINAL 2

[deasine]

Can I have the IATA codes of airports discussed here so I can add to the thread name please?

[seven13]

Some of the IATA codes that I know (and frequently discussed)

Manila-- MNL
Bacolod Silay -- BCD
Iloilo -- ILO
Cebu -- CEB
Kalibo - KLO
Davao -- DVO
Clark -- CRK
Caticlan -- MPH
Palawan -- PPS

[the glimpser]

Aquino inaugurates new Airbus A380 hangar

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III on Friday said that he envisions the Philippines to become a destination for 10 million tourists by 2016.

He made the remark at the inauguration of the new Airbus A380 maintenance hangar of Lufthansa Technik Philippines at the MacroAsia Special Economic Zone in Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

The President boasted that by April, the Philippines will be “one of the few locations around the world that can service such a gigantic aircraft” which will bring in opportunities for Filipinos within the country.

Aquino, together with Department of Transportation and Communication Secretary Mar Roxas, and Secretary Cesar Purisima, attended the inauguration of what Philippine Airlines chairman and CEO Lucio Tan described to be the “first such facility (of its kind) in the Philippines, and only the fourth of its kind in the world.”

The maintenance hangar is the third of its kind in Manila and was a US$30 million investment made by LTP as it sought to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services to A380 and in turn not only expand the airline’s capacity but also create some 400 more jobs for the country.

By April 2012, LTP will be making C-checks and cabin modifications for the A380 using the said hangar which is 8,500 square meters large and 35 meters in height.

The hangar, built on a parcel of land which was a parking lot 10 months ago, has enough space for simultaneous checks on one wide body and two narrow body aircraft.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/255...us-a380-hangar


Clark readies plans for budget terminal, further expansion

PLANS are underway for a PHP12-billion (US$282 million) budget terminal at Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), also known as Clark International Airport.

According to DMIA general manager, Jose Victor Luciano, the new terminal, which will be located adjacent to the existing one, is being built to capitalise on strong growth in the budget travel segment.

Taking into account the PHP 360 million-expansion of Clark's existing terminal—scheduled for completion by 2013, the airport will be able to accommodate up to 2.5 million passengers annually once the new budget terminal is completed, up from the current one million.

Clark’s expansion could not come sooner, given the entry of AirAsia Philippines and Airphil Express flights next month.

AirAsia Philippines will be launching its maiden route (Clark-Davao) on March 15, and is also working to secure flight permits to Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 8, 2012).

AirPhil Express will be starting four new routes from March 29: Davao (six-weekly), Cebu (six-weekly), Kalibo (sixteen per week) and Puerto Princesa (twelve per week).

Two other low-cost carriers, Cebu Pacific and SEAir, are already operating at Clark.

Luciano revealed that Clark was looking to build an additional facility, which “will be able to accommodate about thirty planes at any one time…and we are looking at models in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur”. The project may take up to 2015 to be completed, he added.

http://ttgasia.com/article.php?article_id=3081


PH fortifies position in booming MRO market

SINGAPORE – The Philippines is fast becoming a hub for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business in Asia, with a French company being the latest to sign up for servicing at Clark, a former US military base-turned-economic zone north of Manila.

The growth of the low-cost carrier business model had fueled the global MRO industry, which is expected to expand 4.4 percent a year to US$65.3 billion through 2020. The industry is set to become more competitive, as MRO service providers increase their product offerings in response to airline fleet changes and expansion.

At the 2012 Singapore Airshow on Friday, Assistance Aeronautique et Aerospatiale (AAA), a French company providing on site support and technical assistance for aircraft manufacturers and MRO companies announced the formation of a partnership with a Clark-based maintenance company, Dornier Technology Inc., to provide MRO services for ATR aircraft in the region.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/2...ing-mro-market

[the glimpser]

PAL, AirPhil set refleeting programs that can cost up to $1B

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine Airlines, which recently took in the San Miguel Corp as a new investor, is seen investing as much as $1 billion for a fleet modernization program that will make the storied flag carrier more competitive.

Ramon S. Ang, president of SMC who signed a deal last week to acquire 49 percent each of PAL Holdings and Air Philippines Corp., said the conglomerate welcomed “the opportunity to participate in the refleeting and modernization plans of the two airlines.”

In a text message, Ang said the fleet modernization would cost at least $500 million to as much as $1 billion.

The $500-million minimum requirement is what SMC is infusing into several holding firms that will result in its equity investment in PAL and AirPhil, where the conglomerate is expected to exercise management control even if the majority stake would remain with the group of taipan Lucio Tan.

In a statement jointly issued by the Lucio Tan group and SMC, the two groups said the new partnership would “allow the two airlines to strengthen operations and stay competitive with the implementation of PAL and AirPhil’s fleet modernization program.”

Industry sources explained that because SMC’s entry into PAL and AirPhil would involve the issuance of new shares, new money would flow into the carriers. For capital spending beyond $500 million, the source said the airlines could fund this through debt rather than equity so as not to disrupt the existing capital structure.

http://business.inquirer.net/52909/p...-cost-up-to-1b


Boeing Explores Aircraft Parts Sourcing

MANILA, Philippines — Boeing, the world’s second largest aircraft manufacturer, is sending a team to the country this month to explore sourcing of aircraft parts and components while Taiwanese-owned Air Asia is looking at the Philippines for the expansion of its aircraft maintenance operation.

An official source said that Boeing officials are arriving April 15 to talk with the Board of Investments of their plan to source aircraft parts and components from existing aircraft parts producers in the country.

Airbus, Boeing’s competitor, has also expressed keen interest to source some of its parts requirements in the Philippines. Airbus, however, has yet to send a mission here.

On the part of Air Asia, which should not be mistaken for the Malaysian commercial airline firm, this Taiwanese firm plans to put up a new aircraft maintenance facility in the country.

Air Asia Company Limited, a subsidiary of Taiwan Aerospace, is the most diversified and experienced aircraft maintenance facility in Asia. In half a century, its maintenance accomplishment in military aircraft and civil transport aircraft has gained high reputation. The greatest competitive advantage of Air Asia is its OEM's (original equipment manufacturer) authorization. Boeing Airplane Group, Bell Helicopter TEXTRON Inc., Raytheon Aircraft Co., and Sikorsky Aircraft Co. have all nominated Air Asia as their authorized service center for aircraft/helicopter maintenance.

Air Asia raised its for expansion in the Philippines during a recent Taiwan investment mission headed by Senator Edgardo J. Angara and Trade and Industry Undersecretary Cristino L. Panlilio.

Panlilio cited that most of the electronics firms in the country are suppliers of aviation companies of the world, including Boeing.

“We are tapping manufacturers and assemblers of aircraft components to enhance their operations here,” he said.

Aside from the electronics companies, there are three major aircrafts components manufacturers in the country, including MOOGS in Baguio Economic Zone and another British firm that makes galley fixtures.

Panlilio further said that Texas Instruments even supplies instrumentation parts for Boeing and Airbus. There are probably 100,000 parts in the Boeing plane from switches, wire harness and motors.(BCM)

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/356767...parts-sourcing

[Sky Harbor]

I still don't know why the NAIA thread had to be merged into this one. Is it possible to split MNL from this thread and keep this for all other airports in the Philippines?

[Bootkin]

Originally Posted by bustero

I think in the long run, Manila will support two airports, Clark will definitely be developed (as can be seen below) into 3 or 4 runways eventually becoming MetroManila's Main Airport. But Manila INternational will still be there I think primarily relegated to domestic and short regional flights. Still quite a ways to go though, the immediate future will have it hosting LCC's with a new LCC type terminal.




Aerial shot of existing Airport

I am not sure if you have been to Clark or have seen it's layout in Google Earth. Constructing a 3rd runway, let alone a 4th runway, will take up precious real estate from the industrial zones.

The bigger headache on the ROW will be for the North Rail. The said raillink will have to become wider to accommodate its transformation from a Narrow Gauge track to Wide Gauge. Also, the ROW will have to run a little more straight with gentler curve so that we will have a real express train servicing the Metro and Clark.

Otherwise, we will have to settle to a Narrow Gauge link that would travel a good 60kms to manage the 120km distance. That translates to any Metro resident with the following experience:

1 hour to get to the train station.
30 mins to buy ticket and wait for the train
2 hours to DMIA
2 hours of check-in time, security and immigration clearance
30 mins waiting for boarding

So, just to get out of the country, you will need to block half of your day already just for this. It's ok if you are a private citizen on a personal trip. In today's world where business is done instantly, half-a-day in and out of the Philippines will surely take a toll on the economy.

[everywhere]

Originally Posted by seven13

Some of the IATA codes that I know (and frequently discussed)

Manila-- MNL
Bacolod Silay -- BCD
Iloilo -- ILO
Cebu -- CEB
Kalibo - KLO
Davao -- DVO
Clark -- CRK
Caticlan -- MPH
Palawan -- PPS

How about the following:

- General Santos
- Subic Bay/Olongapo
- Cagayan de Oro
- Zamboanga
- Naga
- Legazpi
- Tacloban
- Dumagete
- Puerto Princesa
- Laoag

[hakz2007]

Clark airport-TriNoma transport service opens

A DEDICATED bus service between TriNoma Mall in Quezon City and Clark International Airport will start tomorrow, Tuesday, in a bid to boost passenger traffic at the Angeles-City based aviation hub.

The "TriNoma-Clark Airport Lounge" will provide dedicated buses that will ply directly to the Clark International Airport on a 24-hour basis, Victor Jose I. Luciano, president and chief executive officer of Clark International Airport Corp., said in a statement on Monday.

Read more

[hakz2007]

Originally Posted by everywhere

How about the following:

- General Santos
- Subic Bay/Olongapo
- Cagayan de Oro
- Zamboanga
- Naga
- Legazpi
- Tacloban
- Dumagete
- Puerto Princesa
- Laoag

GES
SFS
CGY
ZAM
WNP
LGP
TAC
DGT
PPS
LAO

[hakz2007]

Govt not partial to Ayala-Aboitiz consortium for Mactan airport project - DOTC

MANILA - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Tuesday shrugged off rumors that the government is favoring an influential family for the multibillion-peso Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) project.

"This guideline was set based on merits. And from the government perception as a possible regulator and overseer of the airline industry, that we're not considering company names or last names of a big family or whatever interest," Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya told reporters, when asked if the government is favoring the Ayala-Aboitiz consortium.

Abaya said he knew of the Ayala-Aboitiz consortium's interest in the project from media reports.

Read more

[hakz2007]

Fraport wants fresh start in PH

Fraport AG, the German transport company which wrote off $400 million in investments at the Ninoy Aquino third airport terminal wants a fresh start in the Philippines.

Michael Muller, director of Fraport said that it is looking at other business opportunities in the country like in airport services—security and ground handling—but not in building airport terminals.

Muller however qualified that the company would continue to recover its investments through just compensation.

Muller talking about the contentious Terminal 3 said that “it was a big loss for us”. Muller was part of German business delegation that talked to the press yesterday.

Read more