The Clark International Airport is now one of the safest airports in the country, as cited by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for its compliance with Civil Aviation Regulations governing aerodromes and manual standards.
This was made during the celebration Monday of the Civil Aviation Day at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines in Parañaque City.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and CAAP director general Jim Sydiongco led the awarding ceremonies, and Clark International Airport Corp. president Alexander Cauguiran received the citation.
Cauguiran said the aerodrome certification is vital to the operations of Clark, indicating it has passed the international standards set by the International Civil Authority Organization and the CAAP.
The certification covers safety management system, aerodrome reporting, access to the movement area, aerodrome emergency plan, rescue and firefighting service, aerodrome inspection, visual aids that include electrical systems, and aerodrome lighting.
The procedure also includes movement area maintenance, aerodrome works safety, aircraft parking control, ramp safety management, airside vehicle control, wildlife hazard management, airside vehicle control, obstacle control, disabled aircraft removal, handling of hazardous materials, low visibility operations and protection of radar and navigation aids.
The Clark airport has also been included in the CAAP’s Communications, Navigation and Surveillance Air Traffic Management system.
This system will improve the handling and transfer of information, extend surveillance, and improve navigational accuracy, leading to increased airspace capacity, among other improvements.
“The integration of Clark Airport in the state of the art communications, navigation and surveillance air traffic management system will further enhance the airport’s capability to monitor the flight movements, since more domestic and international airlines are expected to operate at Clark as part of the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to utilize the Airport of the North,” Cauguiran said.
Starting Friday, December 16, Philippine Airlines will start flying daily the Clark-Caticlan route, which departs at 11:30 a.m. in Clark and 10 a.m. in Caticlan.
PAL will also commence domestic flights from Clark to Davao, Busuanga and Cagayan De Oro, and an international flight to Incheon, South Korea by January 2017.
Cebu Pacific and other carriers have also announced increased flights and new routes via Clark.
“The safety of our passengers is above everything for us at CRK, our compliance with international aviation standards and the inclusion of the Clark Airport in the monitoring system and coverage of the CNS-ATM makes us a lot safer as an airport,” Cauguiran said.