CLARK FREEPORT – Air congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) again pushed authorities to divert seven international and domestic flights to the Clark International Airport (CIA) last Wednesday afternoon.
Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President-CEO Victor Jose Luciano said the aircraft started arriving here at about 2:50 p.m. after NAIA authorities notified Clark of the flight diversions due to air traffic congestion in Manila.
Luciano said the diverted flights included an Airbus A320 of Air Asia Zest from Kota Kinabalu, Cebu Pacific’s Airbus A320 from Singapore and Davao, Etihad Airlines B777 from Abu Dhabi, Airphil Express A320 from Cagayan De Oro, Dash-8 aircraft from Naga City and Singapore Airlines Airbus A330 from Singapore.
Luciano said that all passengers of the aircraft landed safely as usual at the CIA. “Clark airport’s two runways are always ready to accommodate small and wide-bodied aircraft,” he said. In the recent years, the CIA has served as alternative of aircraft being diverted from NAIA for various reasons.
Apart from air congestion, poor visibility had also hampered landing of aircraft at the Manila airport. Clark Airport was rated Category 9 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Luciano said the CIAC management is gearing for a Category 10 rating which is the highest airport rating.
At the same time, Luciano also said CIAC will purchase two brand new “rapid fire trucks” to beef up its emergency capabilities to handle even the largest aircraft in the world such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777.
Clark hosts various air carriers such as Emirates Airlines which fl ies non-stop daily to Dubai, Qatar Airways which fl ies daily to Doha, Asiana Airlines which flies to Incheon, Dragonair to Hong Kong, Jin Air to Incheon, Cebu Pacific to Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, and Tiger Air Philippines to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Macau.
There are also domestic flights here to Cebu and Kalibo, Aklan.
