Zamboanga Re-opens with Caution

18 September 2014


CAAP Director General William K. Hotchkiss lll has authorized the re-opening of Zamboanga International Airport at least for flights to Manila enabling the airlines to mount two commercial flights starting Thursday, one each for PAL Express and Cebu Pacific, and two each on Friday.

The flights schedule remains confidential but the airport will open to commercial traffic beginning 1am tomorrow morning. Military flights are not affected with the closure.

On Tuesday, both DG Hotchkiss and DDG John C. Andrews went to Zamboanga City to assess the situation of Zamboanga Airspace.

CAAP Officials chartered a private plane owned by PAL president Ramon Ang to land at Zamboanga airport and consulted with the Crisis Management Committee headed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas and Mayor Beng Climaco.

The decision to open Zamboanga airport was made after security briefing was presented by the Philippine Air Force regarding the security situation on the ground of the approach path.

As briefed, airlines will need to do the approach, landing and departure procedures on runway 09 which is on the western side of the City.

Deputy Captain John C. Andrews will board the first flight out of NAIA tomorrow to Zamboanga City to oversee the preliminary flight. Regular scheduled and special flights is expected to resume Saturday.

Airline passengers permitted to fly will only be allowed to carry one hand-carried luggage on the flights.

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