In response to the Department of Transportation's directive to increase airplane movements at NAIA following the recent awarding of its operations and management to a private company, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department discussed working together during the recent Changi Aviation and Airshow in Singapore.
CAAP Director General Manuel Tamayo, accompanied by Deputy Director General for Administration Atty. Danjun Lucas, met with Hong Kong CAD Chief Air Traffic Control Officer, Mr. Samuel Ng, to discuss methods for reasonably increasing the number of airplane movements per hour.
Considering the airport's infrastructural constraints, this is CAAP's proactive response to the DOTr's request to boost aircraft movements at NAIA to 48 per hour.
Aircraft movements at NAIA are now restricted to 40 to 42 miles per hour. To support the goal of doubling passenger capacity at NAIA and in compliance with the concession agreement to be inked with the private sector, the DOTr, however, proposes that CAAP increase flight alternatives.
“We wanted to collaborate to see if this is achievable and, if yes, how and what to do to achieve the goal,” CAAP DDGA Atty. Danjun Lucas said.
Prior to this, CAAP had already initiated measures to boost airplane movements. Earlier, a group of air traffic controllers, along with a delegation from the Department of Transportation, visited the air traffic facilities at Hong Kong airport to learn from its best practices.