Airbus Helicopter Crashes in Bulacan

26 April 2019

A new Airbus helicopter (H130) with body number RP-C8098 crashed in Bulacan shortly after take-off yesterday killing all three persons on board.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the helicopter was bound for San Fernando, Pampanga and crashed at around 12:47 p.m. yesterday into a fishpond in Barangay Anilao, 19 minutes after it took off from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s General Aviation Hangar.

CAAP director general Jim Sydiongco said a team of investigators from the Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board (AAIIB) was already dispatched to the crash site to retrieve the black box containing the flight data recorder. Initial investigation from air traffic controller disclosed that the helicopter loses power in the air and was looking for a place to land.

Officials said the helicopter was owned and piloted by Businessman Liberato “Levy” Laus, 68, chairman of the Laus Group of Companies (LGC), a diversified conglomerate with automotive dealership as its core business. He was previously the President of Clark Development Corporation.

Clark Reopens Today

With Repaired Check-in Counters

24 April 2019

Clark International Airport will start processing passengers at 4:00pm this afternoon with terminal operations back to normal beginning 7:00pm. The airport expects surges of passenger traffic and aircraft tonight. The earthquake induced closures affected 20,000 passengers and 120 flights.

Clark Terminal Collapses After Earthquake

Closes CRK Airport

22 April 2019

WATCH: CCTV captures magnitude 6.1 earthquake jolting Clark International Airport on Monday

🎥 DOTr-CIAC pic.twitter.com/BpFJSLccqW

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) April 24, 2019

The Airport Terminal of Clark International Airport suffered major structural damage when ceilings to its check in area collapse after experiencing 6.1 magnitude earthquake.

Clark Airport Pres. Jim Melo said the airport will need to be closed for 24 hours for safety reasons as they evaluate the remaining terminal structure integrity.

CEB Doubles Capacity on Key Routes

22 April 2019

Low cost carrier Cebu Pacific has doubled its capacity to key domestic routes as it increased weekly flight frequency to and from Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Siargao, Iloilo, Caticlan, Ozamiz and Zamboanga from Cebu by an average 63%.

Flights between Manila and Cebu had likewise increased 24% starting April 15.

Meanwhile, CEB has increased flights from its Cebu hub adding six-times-weekly Cebu-Shanghai and Shanghai-Cebu routes which commenced on 15 April 2019. The airline flies to Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Calbayog, Clark, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Kalibo, Legazpi, Pagadian, Surigao, Tacloban, Hong Kong, Macau, Tokyo (Narita), Singapore and Incheon. Cebu Pacific had earlier stated that it would ramp-up capacity at its Cebu hub by as much as 20% in 2019.

For its Clark hub, CEB has increased capacity of flights to and from Caticlan by 231%, shifting from the 78-seat ATR 72-600 aircraft to multiple Airbus A320 flights. The airline is also growing Clark as it adds Narita, starting 9 August 2019; and daily flights between Clark and Puerto Princesa starting 9 October 2019.

Cebu Pacific also plans to launch an additional daily flight between Manila and Bangkok, starting 28 April 2019, raising capacity further by 41%.

Also in Manila, the carrier is upgauging aircraft on key international routes, switching to its 236-seat Airbus A321neo for flights to and from Narita and Denpasar (Bali), ramping up capacity by three percent, respectively; and to its 436-seat Airbus A330 for its Osaka and Shanghai routes, which will grow the number of seats by 90%, respectively.


"We are now in a position to allot aircraft to expand key routes in our other hubs. We are excited over the prospects for growth and will continue to roll-out new routes when the opportunities arise," said Alexander Lao, Vice-President for Commercial Planning of Cebu Pacific.

Ascent Introduces Ride Sharing in the Air

Country's First

9 April 2019

Ascent founder and chief executive officer Lionel Sinai-Sinelnikoff on the left with RP-C8013 helicopter

Singapore-based helicopter ride sharing service has launched service yesterday as it aims to provide alternate mode of transportation amidst traffic congestion in the country's capital.

Ascent offers helicopter flights in various locations across the country to passengers who will book rides through their website.

“Despite being one of the fastest growing business hubs in Southeast Asia, Manila’s traffic situation is also one of the most challenging in the region. With the launch of Ascent in the Philippines, we hope to provide a solution that is highly relevant to the current times’ economic and productivity pitfalls caused by congested roads,” Ascent founder and chief executive officer Lionel Sinai-Sinelnikoff said in a press briefing.

The firm offers Bell 429 and Airbus H125 helicopters to commuters which shall be operated by its local partner INAEC Aviation Corporation.

Passengers may book their flights at their own time or choose a set schedule by the firm. Passengers can buy their seat at a fingertip and fly between locations such as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, central business districts in Makati, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Quezon City as well as regional locations in Clark and Tagaytay.

Ascent also offers services such as luggage transport, on-ground guest assistance, airport transfers via helicopter, shuttle services to dedicated heliports and corporate packages.

“We have received significant traction from the business community whether national or international. The other segment is the individuals that look for certain way of life and can afford the price range,” Sinai-Sinelnikoff said.

The company is eyeing to tap into the high-end tourism market in the Philippines for its flight services.

PAL Completes SITAONAIR Installation To Long Haul Fleet

5 April 2019

Medium Haul Fleet Next In Line

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has completed equipping all its long-haul fleet with SITAONAIR’s Inmarsat GX Aviation-supported in-flight connectivity service after installing the system to the rest of its Boeing 777.

The airline has been offering complimentary high speed wifi to all passengers since last year on board its B777s, A350s, and long haul A321neos.

SITAONAIR says it reduced the installation time to four days per aircraft from the 15 days it used to take.

“We are taking our in-flight passenger experience to the next level with SITAONAIR’s nose-to-tail in-flight connectivity services over the high-speed capabilities of GX Aviation," says PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista.

"We have high hopes that our partnership will help us achieve our mission of enhancing the total passenger experience while achieving operational efficiency.” Bautista adds.

PAL is scheduled to install SITAONAIR to its medium range fleet of A330-300s beginning this year after completing its installation to its long haul planes, while its new A321neos SITAONAIR is installed at the factory.

The airline has now equipped 21 of its aircraft with the solution. PAL will be offering complimentary Wi-Fi through its myPAL platform to passengers on US, Canada, Japan, Australia, and London flights.

Inmarsat is currently considering new satellites to fill in coverage gaps at the North and South Poles, plus Arctic areas.

Current geostationary satellites, such as its Inmarsat GX series, run out of steam at about 85 degrees North and South of the equator, but the company is looking at novel ways of providing truly global coverage.

Airswift Extends Wing to Panglao

4 April 2019

AirSWIFT has added a new domestic link between El Nido (ENI) and Bohol-Panglao (TAG) on 25 March. The regional airline operates the route four times weekly using its fleet of ATR 72-600s every Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. No other carrier presently operates between the two airports.

AirSWIFT transported 269,511 scheduled passengers in 2018, up from 179,337 in 2017. It flies from Manila, Clark, El Nido, Busuanga, Cebu, Basco and Puerto Princesa. It is the fastest growing airline in the country in 2018 with a fleet of four ATR72-600s.