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Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Clark airport to post millionth int'l passenger
By Reynaldo G. Navales
CLARK FREEPORT -- The Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) will have its millionth international passenger on Friday aboard an Asiana flight from South Korea.
The one millionth international passenger, which will be welcomed by top officials of the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), will be given free accommodations at the Holiday Inn, tokens, and a roundtrip ticket to South Korea courtesy of Asiana Airlines, the first airline to operate at the Clark airport.
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Asiana started its first international flight to DMIA in November 2003.
CIAC president and chief executive officer Victor Jose I. Luciano said DMIA has come a long way since the commissioning of its first international flight several years ago.
"We are very grateful to the overwhelming support of the traveling public and at DMIA we value each passenger as we make (his or her) flight a lasting experience," he said.
In 2004, DMIA posted only 230 international flights with 49,546 passengers, 1,188 flights with 224,497 passengers (2005), and 2,065 flights with 470,867 passengers (2006).
For its domestic flights, DMIA recorded 432 domestic flights with 9,442 passengers (2004), 455 flights with 7,816 passengers (2005), and 443 flights with 17,889 passengers (2006).
Terminal fee collections also increased by 126 percent from P35,863,650 million in 2005 to P81,097,750 million in 2006. A measly P8,830,650 million was collected in 2004.
A total of 126 flights are now being recorded each week: 45 international flights, 21 domestic flight, and 60 international and domestic cargo flights.
The arrival of DMIA's millionth passenger coincided with the announcement of local carriers Philippine Air Lines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific to make Clark as their hub.
On Tuesday, PAL announced that it would build a $50 million catering and maintenance facility as part of its long-term plan to launch international flights from DMIA.
"Mr. Lucio Tan is very excited about the development of Clark as an international airport. Clark will become the premiere airport in the country in the next five years," PAL president Jaime Bautista said.
Luciano, for his part, said the announcement of PAL is welcome development.
Cebu Pacific also announced earlier its plan to make Clark as its third hub after Manila and Cebu.
Cebu Pacific's plan was important to the JG Summit unit since making Clark a base of aircraft and a hub for flights to and from various regional destinations gives the carrier a major presence in Central Luzon, said company president and chief executive Lance Gokongwei. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (June 27, 2007 issue)
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