Keeps Binalonan hub for weather diversions
June 1, 2010
Baguio - Rural airliner Sky Pasada of WCC Aviation commenced its first flight out of Loakan Airport on Friday Morning of May 21 as it tries to connect Baguio for Tuguegarao in Cagayan and Cauayan in Isabela with an introductory one way fare of P998 only.
The aircraft came from Cauayan City with six Singaporeans on board. The flight was also loaded with cargo of fresh seafoods and left with cargo of agricultural products.
The rural airline operates a fleet of two Czech made LET 410 planes that sits 14 passengers for its destinations in Cauayan, Basco, Binalonan and Tuguegarao.
Airline President and CEO, Capt. Ramon Guico III said they intend to make Loakan its hub because it is strategic to servicing a market in Manila, Cauayan, Tuguegarao, Batanes and Boracay. It is looking to add Baguio - Basco, Baguio – Manila and Baguio - Caticlan to its route network soon.
Sky Pasada currently operates from its hub at Binalonan, a privately owned agricultural airstrip in Pangasinan which boast an 850 meter runway and is now becoming a busy general aviation (GA) airport. It was officially opened by President Gloria Arroyo on February 16, 2008.
Captain Alito Getalaga, who piloted the 45-minute Cauayan - Baguio flight, says Baguio's unique weather remains a challenge for air navigation and they intend to reroute flights to Binalonan airfield when the Loakan Airport is not available because of cloud cover.
Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAIR) backed out from its inaugural flight to Baguio in September last year citing foggy conditions and unpredictable weather as the main reason for them not to continue with their proposed flight to the city.
Marketing Manager Richard Tanglao said they will bring the passengers to the city which is one and a half hours drive away from Binalonan in cases of diversionary flight due to bad weather.
WCC Aviation ventured into the airline business in 2009 but started off as a flying school in 2006 providing pilot training to aspiring local and international students with base at Binalonan, Pangasinan. It spinned off Sky Pasada from the firm’s successful Pilot Academy which boast 36 General Aviation planes.
Sky Pasada’s initial commercial routes included Palanan and Maconacon towns in Isabela, catering to the cargo requirements of Isabela fishermen who needed to ship seafood products to Cauayan and Tuguegarao City in Cagayan.
Tanglao said the airline which he dubbed as "Jeepney in the Sky" aims to link under-served Northern Luzon with top tourist destinations in the country while serving its cargo transport needs.
Tanglao said that Sky Pasada is an airline of the countryside. The airline also flies to Divilacan, Cauayan, Palanan, Maconacon and Calayan, in Isabela ; and to Basco, and Itbayat, in Batanes.
"This is what we look at Sky Pasada's role in bringing highland vegetables to Isabela as we also link Isabela's fresh seafood catch to Baguio," says Tanglao.
He explained that traveling for 12 hours by land for P500 through zig-zagging route is a waste of time and a hassle just to get to locations like Tuguegarao and Isabela while their flight at less than a thousand pesos all-in Baguio to Tuguegarao or Cauayan, Isabela just take 40 minutes to travel.
June 1, 2010
Baguio - Rural airliner Sky Pasada of WCC Aviation commenced its first flight out of Loakan Airport on Friday Morning of May 21 as it tries to connect Baguio for Tuguegarao in Cagayan and Cauayan in Isabela with an introductory one way fare of P998 only.The aircraft came from Cauayan City with six Singaporeans on board. The flight was also loaded with cargo of fresh seafoods and left with cargo of agricultural products.
The rural airline operates a fleet of two Czech made LET 410 planes that sits 14 passengers for its destinations in Cauayan, Basco, Binalonan and Tuguegarao.
Airline President and CEO, Capt. Ramon Guico III said they intend to make Loakan its hub because it is strategic to servicing a market in Manila, Cauayan, Tuguegarao, Batanes and Boracay. It is looking to add Baguio - Basco, Baguio – Manila and Baguio - Caticlan to its route network soon.
Sky Pasada currently operates from its hub at Binalonan, a privately owned agricultural airstrip in Pangasinan which boast an 850 meter runway and is now becoming a busy general aviation (GA) airport. It was officially opened by President Gloria Arroyo on February 16, 2008.
Captain Alito Getalaga, who piloted the 45-minute Cauayan - Baguio flight, says Baguio's unique weather remains a challenge for air navigation and they intend to reroute flights to Binalonan airfield when the Loakan Airport is not available because of cloud cover.
Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAIR) backed out from its inaugural flight to Baguio in September last year citing foggy conditions and unpredictable weather as the main reason for them not to continue with their proposed flight to the city.
Marketing Manager Richard Tanglao said they will bring the passengers to the city which is one and a half hours drive away from Binalonan in cases of diversionary flight due to bad weather.
WCC Aviation ventured into the airline business in 2009 but started off as a flying school in 2006 providing pilot training to aspiring local and international students with base at Binalonan, Pangasinan. It spinned off Sky Pasada from the firm’s successful Pilot Academy which boast 36 General Aviation planes.
Sky Pasada’s initial commercial routes included Palanan and Maconacon towns in Isabela, catering to the cargo requirements of Isabela fishermen who needed to ship seafood products to Cauayan and Tuguegarao City in Cagayan.
Tanglao said the airline which he dubbed as "Jeepney in the Sky" aims to link under-served Northern Luzon with top tourist destinations in the country while serving its cargo transport needs.
Tanglao said that Sky Pasada is an airline of the countryside. The airline also flies to Divilacan, Cauayan, Palanan, Maconacon and Calayan, in Isabela ; and to Basco, and Itbayat, in Batanes.
"This is what we look at Sky Pasada's role in bringing highland vegetables to Isabela as we also link Isabela's fresh seafood catch to Baguio," says Tanglao.
He explained that traveling for 12 hours by land for P500 through zig-zagging route is a waste of time and a hassle just to get to locations like Tuguegarao and Isabela while their flight at less than a thousand pesos all-in Baguio to Tuguegarao or Cauayan, Isabela just take 40 minutes to travel.
May I know if how much is a ticket of 1(one) way to Cauayan City in Isabela.
ReplyDeleteAnd where can I get tickets here in Baguio City?
Thank you!
really nice and informative blog. Thanks for share.
ReplyDeleteFlights to Bangkok