Philippines reviews possible return of turboprops to NAIA
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay says moving the flights to Clark has made domestic journeys harder for travellers from Manila.
Philippine aviation authorities are assessing whether turboprop flights should resume at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), following a request from the tourism chief to support domestic travel. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the Manila Slot Coordinating Committee is examining the proposal.
CAAP deputy director general Danjun Lucas said transport chief Vince Dizon initiated the review and asked the committee for a cost-benefit analysis. The assessment will cover commercial, tourism, financial and operational effects. A return would require regulatory approval.
Airlines moved their turboprops to secondary airports, chiefly Clark International Airport, under the committee’s instructions. The aim was to reserve NAIA runway capacity for jetliners carrying up to 400 passengers, compared with 80 on turboprops. Carriers mainly use turboprops for island routes with short or unpaved runways, including Busuanga and Siargao.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the relocation had complicated local journeys because passengers travelling from Manila need more than two hours to reach Clark by public or private road transport.
The committee must also consider capacity requirements for airport operator New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. The ₱170.6 billion rehabilitation requires aircraft movements to rise from 40 to 48 per hour. NAIA is also preparing to accommodate larger aircraft, including Airbus A350-1000s and Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets for long-range services, which will need additional runway space.
