PAL says Subic airport too close to Clark for commercial operations

Reviving the Subic Bay International Airport could be beneficial for general aviation, but it may not be a feasible option for commercial flights due to its close proximity to the Clark International Airport (CIA), Philippine Airlines (PAL) said Thursday.

"For passenger operations, maybe it's too close to Clark but maybe for business jets, for general aviation, I think it will be good if Subic will be opened for that type of operation," PAL president and COO Jaime Bautista told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Manila.

"Right now we don't operate in Subic. I think it's too close [to Clark]," he added.

Bautista's remarks come after the government on Wednesday said it is looking into the possibility of reopening the Subic airport by the second quarter.

"We are now closely looking at making the Subic Airport operational once again. We are in serious talks with the Subic authorities," Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

PAL earlier this week announced new routes via Clark to four destinations: Siargao, Surigao del Norte; San Vicente, Palawan; Cauayan, Isabela; and San Jose, Mindoro.

These routes will join the list of PAL destinations already linked to Clark: Bacolod, Basco, Busuanga, Cagayan de Oro, Calbayog, Catarman, Caticlan, Cauayan, Cebu, Davao, Masbate, Naga, Puerto Princesa, San Jose, San Vicente, Siargao, Tagbilaran, Virac and Seoul in South Korea. — BM, GMA News