PacificFlier ships tuna to Clark

June 6, 2010

By Rendy Isip

Palau’s PacificFlier airline has started delivering tuna shipments to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport as part of the carrier’s regular flights to the Philippines.

“It only shows that to the cargo world that the airport [DMIA] can handle such kind of cargo operations and we have the capability to do this,” Asia Foundation director captain Ben Solis said in an interview, after PacificFlier delivered at least 15 tons of tuna fish through the airport on May 27.

PacificFlier offers from Palau to Manila, Guam and Brisbane, Australia. It started its regular flights to Clark, Pampanga every Thursday and Sunday and committed to ship in 15 to 20 tons of tuna fish from Koror, Palau for distribution to Metro Manila.

“This is an important element that DMIA can handle this kind of operations, which makes it very accessible to Metro Manila because of the modern expressways that makes travel faster and convenient,” Solis said. “The cargo world will recognize DMIA as an important part of their cargo operations in the Asia-Pacific Region.”

Solis said DMIA serves international and local commercial flights as well as cargo operations.

“Clark is fully equipped to take these perishable items, even transit them to Metro Manila and we have ground handlers to do this,” Solis said.

About 50 to 60 tons of tuna fish are available for shipment to Japan daily and for transit to other countries, Solis said.