CLARK, Pampanga — National flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will officially commence its Clark-Caticlan route daily flights at the Clark Airport starting Dec. 16 this year.
Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) president Alexander Cauguiran said the move is in response to Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to transfer flights from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila to the Clark International Airport (CRK).
Cauguiran said PAL president Jaime Bautista gave him the green light to announce the latest flight route.
The move is in line with Pres. Duterte’s program to decongest Metro Manila, as well as to make use of Clark Airport as an alternative to the crowded NAIA.
He also said that PAL will be adding more flights starting January 2017, including the Clark-Cebu route daily flights; Clark-Davao; four-times-a-week, Clark-Busuanga flights; and three times per week flights to Cagayan De Oro.
PAL will also launch daily international flights to Incheon, South Korea by January next year.
Cauguiran said that PAL will be having a total of 21 flights per week at Clark Airport.
“This is a welcome development that augurs well to the achievement of overall socio-economic objectives of the Duterte administration that include the development and full utilization of the Clark International Airport,” he said.
Cebu Pacific Air had earlier announced the increase of its flights at Clark Airport.
Cebu Pacific will fly the Clark-Hong Kong route from three times to 10 times weekly starting December, while its domestic Clark-Cebu route will increase from four times weekly to six times weekly. Marna Dagumboy-Del Rosario/PNA-northboundasia.com