The Department of Transportation said it had improved for night-landing flights 9 more airports bringing the total of night-landing capable airports to 23 (from just 14 when the Duterte administration began). Seven more are to be night-rated before the end of the term of President Duterte.
From just 14 airports in the country capable of accepting night-landing aircraft in 2016, now the number of night-landing capable airports reached 23, with seven more set to be night-rated this year.
The Department of Transportation announced this Sunday following the addition of nine upgraded - airports with night-landing capabilities.
"Equipping airports with night-landing capabilities gives them the flexibility to provide travelers with more flight options, and tremendously assist in allowing more turnaround time for airlines," Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.
Tugade reported that when the Duterte administration took over the reins of government in 2016, only 14 airports out of the total 42 across the country, had night-landing capabilities.
This shall then pave the way to decongest the country's premier gateways, such as the NAIA.
Augmenting and increasing the capabilities of our airports to service more passengers at extended hours has been a consistent thrust of the DoTr under the visionary leadership of Secretary Art Tugade.
Earlier, Civil Aeronautics Administration of the Philippine said that In 2017, the CAAP was able to night-rate four airports namely Dumaguete Airport, Legaspi Airport, Roxas Airport, and Caticlan Airport.
Additional four were night rated in 2019 namely Panglao-Bohol Airport, Tuguegarao Airport (departure only), Naga Airport (departure only), and Cotabato Airport (departure only).
Based on the agency's estimates, the upgrading of an airport for night operation costs around P400 million, which consists of the construction and procurement of navigational facilities and equipment, as well as extension of runways.
Currently, the CAAP said it has completed a total of 120 airport projects while 166 airport projects are ongoing.
The busiest airports in the country by passenger traffic—measured by commercial passengers on domestic and international flights, general aviation flights and military flights are published by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
Currently, there are over 70 Philippines airports handling international, domestic, and charter flights.
The government plans to increase the number of night- rated airports in the country to ease congestion and increase the number of flights.
Night- rated airports have the facility for night flight landing operations such as airfield lighting systems, communications equipment, power supply systems, air disaster management systems, and other systems for managing air traffic services.
Among the proposed airports for night rating are Pagadian Airport, Masbate Airport, Catarman Airport, Calbayog Airport, Dumaguete Airport, Naga Airport and Cauyan Airport.
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA), Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) are some of the existing night rated airports in the country.
Tags: #DoTr, #CAAP, #night-ratedairports, #civilaviation, #increasedtravel, #transportation