After the newly upgraded Antique Airport in San Jose de Buenavista town was opened formally on January 19, 2026, it is seen to lose a few flights.

The P1.5-billion upgrade on the Evelio B. Javier Antique Airport, that took reportedly 10 years to complete, is now equipped with modern system, expanded seating capacity, and longer runway. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Giovanni Lopez graced the inauguration,

However, an airline company has announced that its Manila-Antique-Manila route will be cancelled beginning March 29, 2026. This is according to a resolution of the Manila Slot Coordination Committee.

Other airports seen to be affected by the flight cancellation are Busuanga in Palawan, Siargao in Surigao del Norte, and Catarman in Northern Samar.

In a Senate hearing of the Committee on Tourism, Senator Loren Legarda said that it is too bad if the airline company would stop serving the said routes.

"Naintindihan ko yung cost. Eh di, i-promote natin kaya nga nandiyan ang tourism at local government. Magtutulungan. Kesa i-deprive natin ang mga kababayan, hihintaying mabulok ang bagong airport bago maglagay na naman ng flight. Di ko kayo sinisisi. Again, private sector kayo,” Legarda said.

The airline company has explained its side to the planned cancellation.

“Our difficulty there is that on our assessment, the viability of our flight. Kasi the passengers will bear the cost from travelling to Clark back to Metro Manila,” Salvador Britanico Jr., vice president for Corporate Affairs of the airline company, said.

Currently, the airport runway in Antique is 1,800 meters long that can accommodate more big planes. However, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), there are still obstructions in the area such as houses.

“Sa ngayon we need to remove the obstacles noong mga kabahayan sa dulo ng runway. Which we need yung suporta ng local government. May mga puno na nandoon pa sa dulo,” said Retired Lt. Col. Valentino Dionela, assistant director general of Aerodrome Development and Management Services of CAAP.

Further, it was learned that the runway of Antique Airport is set for a resurface with an allocation worth P99.5 million from the DoTr in 2026. The obstructions are set to be removed by the first quarter of 2026, according to the DoTr.

GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas has tried to get a statement from Antique Governor Paolo Javier on the issue and is awaiting reply.