Cagayan airport gets first international flight

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — This city has finally got its first taste of international flight.

Last Friday’s Asian Spirit flight from Macau carrying tourists to the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) in Santa Ana, the first-ever international flight for the city’s 20-year old domestic airport, is set to become a twice-weekly regular flight.

The Tuguegarao airport’s expansion of its operations, CEZA administrator Jose Marie Ponce said, is part of CEZA’s expansion of operations, which will initially cater mostly to Chinese gambling aficionados out to bet in the zone’s online casinos, as well as partaking of the scenic views around the province.

“When the activities within the zone become really full-blast with the putting up of other attractions in addition to the two online casinos, the flights between CEZA and Macau will become more frequent, increasing from two to three times a week,” Ponce said.

Ponce said that with additional investors entering the special economic zone and free port, more flights will be needed to and from the area, either in Tuguegarao City or in the later.

Gov. Alvaro Antonio expressed optimism that following the first international flight to this city more flights from other foreign cities would also come in.

“It is hoped that with this initial flight more tourists will start to enter this province, and with it, more investments as well, not only in the CEZA area but throughout the province,” Antonio said.

CEZA is a free port and economic zone located in the whole of Santa Ana town in northeastern Cagayan and parts of Aparri town. As of now, with the absence of the Lal-lo airport, the Tuguegarao City airport is supplying the zone’s air transport requirements.

With the future expansion, Tuguegarao City airport will not only be feeding tourists to the CEZA area and other parts of the province, but also to nearby provinces like Apayao and Kalinga in the northern Cordillera Administrative Region.