CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga—Travelers from Central Luzon find the premium Point 2 Point bus service now being offered here an attractive and convenient option, specially during the rainy season.
This was voiced out by travelers, such as balikbayans, overseas contract workers, and tourists who were able to catch their flights yesterday despite delays caused by the monstrous traffic in Metro Manila owing to heavy monsoon rain.
Alex Cauguiran, president and CEO of Clark International Airport, said some of the travelers who left the Freeport at about 1 p.m on board of the premium point to point bus service were able to reached the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at about 6:30 p.m.
“Most of the travelers were able to catch their 8 p.m flight bound for Sydney, Australia,” Cauguiran said.
The premium Point 2 Point bus service from NAIA to Clark International Airport uses a fleet of 48 brand new coaches with designated drop-off and pick-up terminal with trip schedules posted on their website.
Major Metro Manila thoroughfares and highways in nearby provinces were flooded since Saturday due to monsoon rains even as typhoon “Karding” exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
According to Cauguiran, the purpose of the premium bus service was to make traveling more convenient to residents of Central and Northern Luzon.
Organized by the Department of Transportation and the Genesis Transport Service last year to cater to the passengers coming from Clark International Airport going to NAIA-3 vice versa, with only stopovers at Robinson Galleria and Resorts World Manila.
With fares at only P350 per person, the busses are equipped with Wifi, GPS, CCTV, and other modern safety features for convenience of the passengers.
The transportation department is also creating six other P2P routes: Clark to Lubao in Pampanga, Dagupan in Pangasinan, Subic in Zambales, Malolos in Bulacan, Tarlac, and San Jose in Nueva Ecija.
Clark International Airport recorded a total of 1.5 million passengers covering the period of January 2 up to August 8 of the year, Cauguiran said.
“With the ongoing trend, we are expecting passengers using Clark will reach 2.5 million at the end of the year,” he said.
The airport tallied a total of 1,538,958 in contrast to the 1,514,531 last year which is the highest record of the Clark International Airport Authority since its relation in 1995.
Clark has a daily average of 7,000 passengers served by a total of 462 flights, with 266 international and the remaining 296 domestic flights.