Mactan to go VFR after ILS destroyed

 24 October 2022

Mactan Cebu International Airport (CEB) announced Monday morning that Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) at the airport's runway 22 is temporarily suspended after Korean Air Airbus A330 destroyed the Instrument Landing System (ILS) localizer at runway. Airport owner Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) said that it secured permission from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) to resume visual flight rules at the airport around 4:00pm-6:00pm to allow departures of stranded aircraft, and arrival of light passenger planes at the opposite side of the runway. Among the stranded aircraft are Turkish Airlines A350-900 bound for Istanbul via Manila, and Jeju Air bound to Seoul which were allowed to leave. According to latest Notice to Airman (NOTAM) the airport's runway is still closed to civil aviation traffic due to aircraft obstruction at the end of the runway. MCIAA said they will be moving the aircraft later tonight and tomorrow after the Aircraft Accident Inquiry and Investigation Board (AIIB) finishes its investigation to the mishap. CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said Mactan should be open to traffic as early as tomorrow evening at 6:00pm at its latest NOTAM advisory, after the Korean plane is removed from its current location and transferred to at least 50 meters off the runway center-line.

Korean Air Overshoots Mactan Runway

 24 October 2022

A Korean Air Airbus A330-200 skidded on landing at Mactan International Airport Sunday evening around 11:11pm due to very bad weather. Flight #KE631 (HL7525) from Seoul with 162 passengers and 11 crew, aborted two previous landing attempts due to heavy downpours and poor visibility. No one is reported hurt in the excursion. Aircraft is beyond repair and expected to be written off. Details to follow.

PAL Overperforms Revenue

Set to Record $2.6 Billion Revenue

17 October 2022

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has reported better than revised performance that it is revising again for the second time its revenue  target to $2.6 billion for 2022 after reaching its previous $2 billion revenue goal as early as October.

“We exceeded our target already so it’s quite good. Of course, we forecast another target, for the year it’s $2.6 billion revenue,” PAL Holdings, Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Stanley K. Ng said. 

PAL earlier projected revised yearend revenue of at least $2.2 billion gross revenue in July this year. It is poised to earn net comprehensive income of $150 million, after earning $70 million in the first half.

In the first half of this year, the carrier generated $1.1 billion in revenues representing a 258% growth in passenger revenues and 31% growth in cargo revenues from the same period last year.

The Lost Routes
Destinations such as New Zealand, London, and Sapporo are still those not being served by the flag carrier after returning more than 20 aircraft to its lessor.

“We don’t have that airplanes to fly to those destinations right now,” Mr. Ng said.

He added that if things improve for the airline, it expects to start servicing the three destinations by next year.

PAL returned to lessors 5 A330-300s and subleases 4 A350-900s to German Airline Lufthansa until 2028.

Re-Fleeting
With better than projected revenue performances, the airline is looking to funding its much delayed Long Haul re-fleeting program that was put on hold in 2019.

Ng said decision for that undertaking is scheduled next year in addition to adding more long haul planes in the short term to fill the gap in order to provide better customer experience, as the airline is currently short of those planes.

“But the metal, the hardware, the aircraft it will take some time but we are in the process of deciding also,” Mr. Ng said, referring to delivery schedule of this new planes.

“Some are getting a little bit old in terms of aesthetic but in terms of engines and safety it’s perfect but of course, people right now are more demanding of the seats,” Mr. Ng said.

Aircraft orders from manufacturers usually take about 4-5 years before they are delivered to customers.

Meanwhile, PAL has returned 6 more A320 aircraft to lessors as their leases expire this year, reducing further their operating fleet to 70 by end of this year. 

PAL To Restore 100% Domestic Network By December

 70% For International Destinations By Year end

14 October 2022

Flag Carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is slated to return its full domestic capacity pre-covid by December, according to its senior executive official.

PAL President and Chief Finance Officer Capt. Stanley Ng, stated at the Management Association of the Philippines general membership meeting yesterday said its domestic flights have hit  90 percent of pre-pandemic level and are expected to reach 100 percent by Yearend.

PAL said its international routes is currently restored to 60 percent of pre-pandemic level and will reach 70 percent by December.

Ng said PAL continues to restore its international operations in the ASEAN region as more countries open up for tourism traffic. They are also waiting for clearances to fly to destinations in China which account to 20% of its international route network.

It recently announced the  relaunch of direct flights between Cebu and to some destinations in Japan and now to Bangkok starting December 9, and Singapore next year.

 

CEB Reopens Zamboanga-Cotabato Route

Flight Begins November 7

13 October 2022

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) is reopening its flights to Awang Airport in Cotabato City from Zamboanga as the airline reintroduces Zamboanga hub to its growing network beginning November 7.

CEB will service the route via its Subsidiary Cebgo using ATR aircraft. Flight DG-6684 is scheduled to depart from Zamboanga International Airport at 10:55 a.m. and will arrive in Cotabato City at 12 noon and its return flight, DG-6685 will leave the Awang Airport at 12:25 p.m. and will arrive at Zamboanga at 1:25 p.m. 

PAL Flies Borongan

 Flight Starts Nov. 26

12 October 2022

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines will fly to Borongan Airport beginning 26 November from Manila on DHC8-400NG aircraft every Monday and Friday.

Borongan flight will leave Manila at 6:00am arriving Borongan at 7:30am. Return Flight is scheduled at 8:30am arriving Manila at 10:00am.

Flight operations resumes at Borongan Airport after it secured operations clearance and permit from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) On June 22, paving the way for it to accept commercial flights from major airlines. PAL earlier made operational approach safety and security checks on the airports 1.3km runway in August 3 followed by Cebu Pacific on September 14.

 

Borongan airport was previously served by Seair's Do-328 plane from Manila ending flight in 2014, and Leading Edge airlines F-50s from Clark which ceased flight operations s in 2018.

 

PAL last flew to Borongan in 1997 serving thrice a week service to Manila using 50 seater Fooker-50 . 

 

 

 

Diwata-1 Ends Space Mission

 10 October 2022

The Philippines’ first microsatellite Diwata-1, launched to the International Space Station on March 23, 2016 and was released into orbit on April 27, 2016, ended its Earth observation mission after four years in space, the government said.

According to Department of Science and Technology (DOST) STAMINA4Space Program, Diwata-1 was designed to operate for only 18 months but it outlived its design life and continued capturing 45,572 satellite images, 17,271 of which are images of the Philippines.

The first satellite built and designed by Filipinos was last seen at an altitude of approximately 114 kilometers, which is very close to the widely accepted boundary between the outer space and the Earth’s atmosphere, early Monday morning last week.

“It is expected that beyond this altitude, the chances of successfully establishing contact with Diwata-1 are extremely low,” Department of Science and Technology’s Sustained Support for Local Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) .

“This, therefore, marks the official end of the mission lifetime of Diwata-1,” it added.

The Philippines has launched two (2) Diwata satellites to the International Space Station, with the second launched in 2018.

Maya and Diwata microsatellites were developed in the University of the Philippines Diliman under the STAMINA4Space Program funded by the Department of Science and Technology. The program is implemented by UP and the DOST’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute. 

PAL Flies Loakan-Cebu

Flight Commences From December Onward

6 October 2022

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will fly Cebu-Baguio-Cebu four times a week effective second week of December 2022 according the airline executive. 

The flight will depart at 9:20am from Cebu arriving 11:20am in Baguio.  Return flight is scheduled at 1:20pm arriving Mactan Cebu at 4:20pm.

PAL President and Chief Operations Officer Stanley Ng  said that safety audit of Loakan Airport is currently being conducted for the operations of 86 seater Bombardier Q400 turbojets.

"Will have the date fixed when the safety audit is approve," say Ng.

Ng said the audit is needed since the Q400 they are flying is the biggest passenger plane to land at the airport which used to cater before the 50 seater Fokker 50s which the airline used to operate at the airport 25 years ago.

"F-50 was the biggest passenger plane that operate at this airport before and we are flying now even bigger turpoprop plane." he said, referring to the DHC8-400NG plane.  

A second thrice a week flight to Davao is also on the agenda of the flag carrier.

The airline said they will post updates as to the commencement of the flight soon.