I have been thinking about the recent announcement regarding plans to move a number of turboprop commercial flights out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to reduce congestion. While the MIAA, NNIC, and the rest of the Manila Slot Coordination Committee (MSCC) says this move is necessary, they also plan to make exceptions, such as allowing some general aviation flights to remain. I am not optimistic that this decision will benefit the general flying public, but I wanted to weigh the pros and cons of relocating major turboprop flights from NAIA.
When it was announced that the turboprop operations of PAL Express and CebGo out of NAIA, I felt this decision might stem from some “trial and error” style. Worse, general aviation—particularly VIP charters or aircraft carrying politicians—will still be allowed to operate at NAIA. It seems contradictory to move planes carrying 80 passengers while keeping smaller aircraft with fewer than 10 passengers at the country’s primary gateway.
That said, this issue is not entirely negative. There are some benefits, so here are my full thoughts.
The Role of Turboprop Planes
The Philippines is an archipelago with 7,107 islands, making air connectivity vital for tourism and trade. However, not all airports can accommodate larger jets due to shorter runways, especially in rural areas. Turboprops provide essential connections to these airports, such as Siargao, Busuanga, and Basco. They are as important as jet aircraft, even though they carry fewer passengers.
Turboprops not only facilitate inter-island travel but also link major cities to smaller airports, boosting tourism and trade. For this reason, they should not be sidelined when deciding whether they can operate from major airports like NAIA.
The Positive Impact of Moving Turboprop Operations
Clark International Airport is a modern and beautiful facility, far better than NAIA in terms of aesthetics, functionality, convenience, and overall passenger experience. Despite its world-class standards, Clark remains underutilized.
Relocating turboprop operations to Clark could increase the airport’s traffic and capacity while enhancing connectivity to different islands and destinations. Imagine being able to fly from another country to Siargao via Clark, bypassing NAIA’s long immigration lines, overcrowding, and other inconveniences. With lower fees at Clark compared to NAIA, ticket prices might also be more affordable for connecting passengers.
This move could be a major opportunity for Clark, provided the necessary infrastructure is improved. Better public transportation, such as additional P2P buses, the North-South Commuter Railway, and more transport network vehicle services (TNVS), will be essential to connect the airport with surrounding areas.
The Negative Side of Relocating Turboprop Flights
The biggest downside is the loss of direct connectivity from Manila to local destinations only served by turboprops, such as Siargao, Busuanga, and Basco. Passengers will need to travel two hours from Manila to Clark to catch these flights, causing inconvenience, especially for those from southern Luzon areas like Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas. International tourists with connecting flights to these destinations will face similar challenges if their inbound flights do not serve Clark.
This added inconvenience may hurt tourism in these areas. Passengers might also incur additional costs if they need to stay overnight in hotels near Clark due to schedule constraints.
Airlines will also face challenges. Turboprops complement jet services by providing additional frequencies during off-peak hours when passenger traffic is lower. Without turboprops, airlines might have to operate jets with low load factors, which could harm their profitability.
Lastly, the decision to allow private jets to continue operating from NAIA raises questions. These private aircraft follow the same runway separation rules as commercial planes. Allowing a jet carrying two passengers to delay a commercial plane with 180 passengers does not make sense if the goal is to decongest NAIA.
A Better Solution
The MSCC must thoroughly study all options before implementing such a major change. They should minimize relocating all turboprop operations from NAIA to Clark, especially when it disrupts direct connectivity from NCR to smaller destinations like Siargao, Busuanga, and Basco. Airports like Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, and Caticlan, which can accommodate jets, are different from these smaller airports that rely solely on turboprops.
While decongesting NAIA is important, the solutions should balance the needs of passengers, airlines, and aviation workers. If the MSCC truly aims to support aviation, they must develop well-researched and thoughtful strategies that provide a win-win situation for everyone involved.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
