The Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) now operates night flights following the installation of additional navigation system.
Beginning September 1, 2019, the BPIA has extended its operating schedule to 16 hours (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.).
In a statement, Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said the extended operating hours of the airport would boost the economy of Bohol province.
“We do not just stop with building airports. We also continuously upgrade them to truly enhance the travel experience of Filipinos. The improvements we made here at BPIA will ultimately impact on regional economic growth and development. That is what our President meant when he told us to give Filipinos a comfortable life,” Tugade stated.
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) director general Jim Sydiongco said the BPIA is gearing towards optimum utilization of its facilities.
“The more flights we can accommodate, the more benefits we can offer to our air passengers. This has always been the focal guidance of Secretary Art Tugade – to enhance the connectivity, mobility and comfort of the Filipino people,” Sydiongco said.
The Bohol-Panglao airport, dubbed as the first eco-airport in the Philippines, was designed for 2.0 million passengers annually, more than double the 800,000 capacity of the old airport in Bohol’s capital, Tagbilaran City. The airport was inaugurated on November 27, 2018.
Sydiongco said the night flights at BPIA are possible following the installation, full calibration, testing and operationalization of several ground-based navigational equipment.
These are distance measuring equipment (DME), localizer antenna, ground-based radio navigational aid, and instrument landing system (ILS). These equipment provide precise and systematic launching and landing of aircraft.
The ground-based system complements the airport’s existing satellite-based navigation system, which has limited capacity at night and during weather disturbances. (Ventures Cebu)
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