SunStar: Clark airport awaits millionth int’l passenger

Lavish ceremonies and goodies have been prepared for the arrival of the one millionth international passenger at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport this Friday. Sun-Star Pampanga (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported Wednesday that the passenger is due to arrive Friday aboard an Asiana flight from South Korea. Top officials of the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) said the passenger, who was not named, will get 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. “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," CIAC president and chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano said. 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. Luciano said the DMIA now handles 126 flights each week, including 45 international flights, 21 domestic flights, and 60 international and domestic cargo flights. From 230 international flights with 49,546 passengers in 2004, DMIA had 1,188 flights with 224,497 passengers in 2005, and 2,065 flights with 470,867 passengers in 2006. It had 432 domestic flights with 9,442 passengers in 2004, 455 flights with 7,816 passengers in 2005, and 443 flights with 17,889 passengers in 2006. Terminal fee collections also increased by 126 percent from P35.864 million in 2005 to P81.098 million in 2006, from P8.831 million in 2004. Last 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. 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. - GMANews.TV