Cebu Pacific, PAL Express divert Boracay flights
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 07/09/2009 2:57 PM
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MANILA - Local carriers PAL Express and Cebu Pacific are diverting their domestic flights bound for Caticlan to Kalibo airport due to the "changes to operating conditions" at the former.
Caticlan is the nearest jump-off point to tourist favorite, Boracay Island. Kalibo airport, which is a bigger facility, is about 2-hour land trip away from Caticlan.
In separate statements, Philippine Airlines, the parent of PAL Express, and Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific announced the alternative airport destination for their Boracay-bound passengers.
PAL cited "landing weight limitations" imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on the Caticlan airport, while Cebu Pacific cited "changes to operating conditions."
They said that during a hearing with air operators on Wednesday, CAAP has designated the Caticlan facility as a one-way airport, which means "take-off should be towards the sea, and landing in the opposite direction."
This essentially shortens the portion of the airport runway that could be used despite its actual length. These changes were made to avoid incidents similar to Zest Air's flight overshot on the runway of Caticlan airport last month.
Both PAL Express and Cebu Pacific said that they will shoulder the land transfer cost from Kalibo to Caticlan for passengers who have original bookings for Caticlan.
PAL said it has 11 PAL Express flights from Manila one daily flight from Cebu bound for Caticlan.
Cebu Pacific CEO Lance Gokongwei said more than 60,000 booked passengers would be affected by the cancellation of their Caticlan flights.
Meantime, Gokongwei said: "We continue to work closely with our industry partner, the CAAP, to find a speedy resolution, to these airport issues, to allow Cebu Pacific to re-instate flights to Caticlan."
"Boracay continues to be one of the country’s most important tourism destinations. Cebu Pacific’s low-fare service has been integral to the growth and development of the island’s tourism industry and has increased its accessibility to both local and foreign tourists," he added.
Cebu Pacific has carried over 340,000 passengers to Caticlan since February 29, 2008, when the company began operating direct flights to this town in Aklan province.
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