NEWS

(By: Lorenz S. Marasigan & Recto L. Mercene)

LOCAL carriers have migrated their flights to Bohol from the old Tagbilaran Airport to the New Bohol Panglao Airport. Billed as the country’s first eco-airport for its green features, Panglao airport started commercial operations on Wednesday (November 28), according to separate advisories.

AirAsia Philippines, which was the first airline to fly to the new airport on Tuesday via a special arrangement with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap), has moved all its Bohol flights coming from Manila to the new airport.

“We feel strongly about supporting the growth and development of cities outside Metro Manila. We aim to better connect secondary cities or hubs and take Bohol to new heights and rise among the premier tourist destinations not only in the Philippines but also in the whole of Asean, in greater Asia and beyond where the AirAsia Group has massive connectivity,” AirAsia Philippines CEO Dexter Comendador said.

Cebu Pacific’s flights to Tagbilaran from Manila, Davao and Cagayan de Oro were likewise moved to Panglao.

Philippine Airlines’s flights from Manila, Clark, Davao and Incheon going to Bohol will also now land at the new airport.

The Department of Transportation officially closed the commercial operations of the Tagbilaran Airport today to pave the way for the opening of the New Bohol Panglao Airport.

The government initially targeted to open the new airport in Bohol  in 2021.

Panglao airport, marketed as the “Green Gateway to the World,” will be the country’s first eco-airport, employing the “highest standards of green and sustainable structures.”

The airport, which will primarily use natural air ventilation and solar panels for a third of its power supply, is expected to accommodate 2 million passengers in its opening year, a huge jump from the 800,000 passenger count that is currently being accommodated by the Tagbilaran airport.

Iata tag retained

Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific said the new airport will replace the existing Tagbilaran Airport but it will continue to use the existing Iata (International Air Transport Association) airport code “TAG.”

The ICAO four-letter code will be “RPSP” instead of the old “RPVT.”

Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 619, from Manila, will be the first flight to land at the new Bohol Panglao International Airport when it opens for commercial operations.

The flight is scheduled to depart Manila at 5:55am and land at the new airport in Bohol at 7:30am on November 28.

The return flight, 5J 620, bound for Manila, will be the first to take off from the new airport. That flight is estimated to depart Bohol at 8:00am, with estimated time of arrival in Manila at 9:25am.

CEB has been mounting flights to and from Tagbilaran since 2004, flying close to 3 million passengers over the past 18 years.

Notice to airmen

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) said that starting  November 28, 2018, all flights to and from Bohol will arrive at and depart from the new Bohol Panglao International Airport (BPIA), located in Barangay Tawala, municipality of Panglao, on Panglao Island.

The old Tagbilaran Airport, located in Tagbilaran City proper, will be closed effective at 6:00 am on November  28.

In a notice to airmen (Notam), the Caap said the new BPIA  will be the sole commercial airport serving the province of Bohol, including the City of Tagbilaran and Panglao Island.

Meanwhile, legacy carrier Philippine Airlines (Pal) said passengers departing from Bohol/Tagbilaran on the following PAL and PAL Express flights on November 28 and beyond should proceed directly to the new Bohol Panglao airport:

■ PR 2774 to Manila

■ PR 2778 to Manila

■ PR 2872 to Clark

■ PR 2373 to Davao

■ PR 1482 (2P 1482) to Seoul Incheon

Passengers flying to Bohol/Tagbilaran on the following PAL flights will arrive at the new Bohol Panglao airport. Passengers are advised to adjust pick up or transport arrangements accordingly:

■ PR 2773 from Manila

■ PR 2777 from Manila

■ PR 2871 from Clark

■ PR 2372 from Davao

■ PR 1483 (2P 1483) from Seoul Incheon

The PAL ticket office at the decommissioned Tagbilaran Airport will remain open until December 15, to service passengers during a three-week transition period.  The PAL Tagbilaran City ticket office, likewise, remains open.

While the PAL ticket office at Panglao Airport is being set up, PAL check-in counters at the new airport will be able to issue tickets if necessary.

Land travel from the Tagbilaran city center to Panglao Airport is approximately 40 minutes.

There is no need to reissue or reroute tickets, as all currently issued tickets for travel to or from TAG remain valid.

Source: BusinessMirror.com.ph