CLARK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT — At least nine wide-body aircraft were diverted to this airport late Tuesday night due to a disabled Saudi Airlines Boeing 747 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) runway 06/24 that caused air traffic congestion.
A Saudi Airlines’ jet bound for Riyadh veered off the NAIA runway and got mired in mud while preparing for take-off.
Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President-CEO Victor Jose “Chichos” I. Luciano said wide-body aircraft from various International and Local airlines as large as Boeing 777 that were supposed to land at NAIA were safely accommodated here Tuesday night.
“All of the passengers of the nine aircraft safely landed at Clark airport,” Luciano said. CIAC said the nine aircraft came from Hong Kong, Narita in Japan, Dubai in the UAE, Singapore, Abu Dhabi in the UAE, and Incheon, South Korea.
Among them are Philippine Airlines flight 307 A-340 via Hong Kong-Manila, Japan Airlines flight 949 B-767 via Narita-Manila, Dragonair flight 931/932 A-320 via Hong Kong-Manila, Emirates flight 334 B-777 via Dubai-Manila, Japan Airlines flight 745 B-767 via Narita- Manila, Singapore Airlines flight 918 B-777 via Singapore-Manila, Etihad flight 428 B-777 via Abu Dhabi-Manila, Korean Air flight 623 B-777 via Incheon-Manila, and Philippine Airlines flight 469 A-330 via Incheon-Manila.
Luciano said all of the aircraft tookoff at about 3:36 a.m. on Wednesday from this airport after the NAIA runway 06/24 was cleared. He said Clark airport is ready anytime to accommodate large aircraft.
