More Asian airlines fly to Clark

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — The Clark Development Corp. (CDC) announced yesterday that three more Asian airlines will mount international flights between the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here and Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau.

CDC executive vice president Victor Jose Luciano said the Hong Kong Express Airways Ltd. (HK Express) will launch Clark-Hong Kong flights, while the Far Eastern Transport Corp. (FAT) will soon fly regularly between Clark and Taiwan.

Luciano said Tiger Airways of Singapore, reputed to be one of the best low-cost carriers in Asia, is set to increase its Singapore-Clark flights from five to 10 times weekly starting this October.

"The increase in flights will allow Tiger Airways to carry more than 180,000 passengers to the Philippines in a year, and this will redound to the economic benefits of Central Luzon folk," he said.

Starting Aug. 7, Luciano said HK Express will fly twice a week between Clark and Hong Kong.

"HK Express is Hong Kong’s newest airline. From its base at Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok Airport, (it) intends to operate services between Hong Kong and popular cities in mainland China using the new EMBRAER 170, " he said.

Earlier, the China Rich Airways launched thrice weekly flights between Clark and Hong Kong.

Luciano said FAT, a 48-year-old Taiwan-based airline, will fly three times a week between Taiwan and Clark using either Boeing 757s or MD 80s starting July 31.

He said FAT was a recipient of the Best Airline award from the Civil Aeronautics Administration, especially in the area of maintenance quality, in 2000.

FAT was founded in 1957 as the first privately owned airline in Taiwan. It now operates 11 domestic routes and four international routes, served by a fleet of 16 aircraft. — Ding Cervantes