14 domestic airports to get night landing facilities

MANILA, Philippines - The Airline Operations Council (AOC) yesterday welcomed the reported plan of Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Mar Roxas to fast track the installation of night landing facilities in 14 domestic airports in the country.

Ed Monreal, AOC chairman, said that the installation of night landing facilities in these 14 airports will allow domestic carriers to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and lessen the frequent flight delays that affect thousands of passengers daily.

He said that domestic operators can now schedule their flights out of NAIA during non-peak hours since it would allow them to make a turn-around flight and still be able to leave some provincial airports at a later time.

This would mean that more slots will be allotted during peak hours to international flights, which usually endure an average of 30 minutes’ waiting time before being be allowed to touch down or take-off at the NAIA’s main international runway.

AOC includes representatives from Philippine Airlines, AirPhil Express, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air, China Air, KLM, Thai Airways, China Southern, Cathay Pacific, DragonAir, Delta Airlines, Emirates, Saudi Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, among others, and various aviation operators like Lufthansa Technik Philippines and several ground handlers operating at NAIA.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said that a budget of P800 million was approved to equip 14 airports with night landing operations.

CAAP said a total of 38 flights are operating daily from 14 airports with night landing facilities that were budgeted by DOTC.