CLARK FREEPORT – At least seven domestic flights of Airphil Express were diverted yesterday to the Clark International Airport (CIA) here due to air traffic congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila.
At the same time, operations at the CIA have remained normal despite the recent heavy rains that flooded Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.
“There were no cancellation of international and domestic flights,” said Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano.
Air traffic congestion at NAIA forced domestic flights of Airphil Express to divert their flights at Clark Airport, Luciano said.
The four Airbus A320s of Airphil Express started landing at the runways of Clark airport at about 9 am. They came from General Santos, Osamis, Kalibo and Legaspi, he said.
Another three ATR propeller-type aircraft also of Airphil Express were diverted to the airport here. They were from Catarman, Caticlan and Calbayog.
Luciano said that all the aircraft refueled here before finally flying to their NAIA destination at about noon.
Luciano earlier stressed that Clark airport is “ready 24/7 for diversion flights from NAIA” as he pointed to the “spacious Clark aviation complex that can accommodate wide-bodied aircraft.”
“The airport is always ready and our navigational systems are working round the clock,” he added.
Luciano said that CIAC management is in the process of upgrading the navigational systems of Clark airport as part of the modernization programs for the entire 2,367 hectare Clark Aviation Complex.
