Philippine Airlines (PAL) eyes to serve flights to-and-from Baguio

Cordillera - Visitors who want to visit the summer capital of the Philippines for a vacation may soon have the option to go by plane as soon as the Loakan airport re-opens for airlines. 

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has expressed its willingness to open flight to-and-from Baguio once the Loakan airport is going to be rehabilitated and reopened.

According to a report from Inquirer, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia relayed what the Civil Aviation of the Philippines (CAAP) said that the Loakan airport "needs improvements for safety purposes" before it can be used for commercial flights. 

READ ALSO:  SLU nursing grad praised for delivering baby girl in Philippine Airline flight

Pernia said that PAL is willing to open it's flights to the country's summer capital once the Loakan airport reopens and when CAAP gives the go signal to operate. 

The opening of the Loakan airport could reduce the travel time going to Baguio from Manila and vice versa. 

Currently, the travel time from Manila to Baguio by land is five to to eight hours considering traffic on the road compared to around 45 minutes if by plane.

The Loakan Airport is classified as class 2 principal airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and has been closed to commercial flights since 2009. The airport only serves chartered and military flights as of this moment.

With the plan of improving the airport to be able to accommodate commercial flights  presents considerable benefits for both businesses in the region as well as increase tourist arrivals in the Cordillera. 

The initial study conducted by RDC in 2013 had shown that the airport would not need  redesigning aside from the widening work to be made on its tarmac from the current 40 meters to 60 meters.