Most runways to be upgraded to accommodate narrowbody jets

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it is embarking on a runway-upgrade program that will make most Philippine airports capable of handling single-aisle jet aircraft like the Airbus A320 or the Boeing 737.

Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez said runways will be brought up to the 2,100-meter standard to accommodate regional jets, except for those runways with topographical constraints.

The program is being positioned as a means of ultimately lowering air ticket prices as airlines benefit from the scale offered by switching to narrowbodies from the turboprop aircraft that currently serve smaller airports. 

The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines said airports with shorter runways involve higher costs, making service to many domestic destinations challenging.

The DoTr has said it is working to expand the runway of Calbayog airport in Samar and on a feasibility study to upgrade Siargao airport.

The DoTr and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) are also pushing to get key airports night-rated to give passengers the option of more night or early-morning flights, which also have the potential to lower fares. 

Mr. Lopez said CAAP and DoTr are also considering the possibility of reducing terminal fees. — Ashley Erika O. Jose