Philippines reviews turboprop return at NAIA amid New NAIA Infra contract concerns

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Highlights

Philippines' CAAP is reviewing the potential return of turboprop services to NAIA, requiring New NAIA Infra Corp. and concession contract discussions due to possible conflicts.
The Department of Tourism argues that limiting turboprop flights to Clark has increased domestic travel costs and reduced convenience for passengers accessing Manila from smaller airports.
Experts warn that prioritizing larger jet aircraft at NAIA disadvantages general aviation and turboprop operators, with calls for the issue to be considered at the Cabinet level for national economic impact.

Contract review and operating trade-offs

As reported by BusinessWorld Online, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said the possible return of turboprop services to NAIA requires discussions with New NAIA Infra Corp. and a review of concession terms that may conflict with such a move.

CAAP Deputy Director-General Danjun G. Lucas said the issue is not for the regulator alone to decide, because the Manila Slot Coordination Committee, led by the Department of Transportation, oversees slot availability at the airport. He said authorities need to assess the technical and operational effects and balance the advantages and disadvantages before any change is made.

Turboprop aircraft were moved from NAIA to Clark International Airport in March to free more slots for larger jet aircraft and raise the main gateway's capacity. The Department of Transportation, through the slot committee, directed the transfer of turboprop operations away from Metro Manila.

Tourism access and airport network impact

The Department of Tourism says regulators should allow turboprop flights at NAIA again, arguing that the shift to Clark has made domestic travel more expensive and less convenient for passengers. The debate centers on whether efficiency at the country's main airport should take priority over direct access to Manila for routes serving smaller domestic airports.

Rene S. Santiago, former president of the Transportation Science Society of the Philippines, said congestion at major airports creates a trade-off between operational efficiency and broader economic goals. He said prioritizing passenger volume per runway slot tends to disadvantage smaller aircraft, including general aviation and turboprop operators, even as airlines may find Clark more favorable because of lower costs and fewer capacity constraints.

Nigel Paul C. Villarete, senior adviser on public-private partnerships at Libra Konsult, Inc., said the government should also consider tourism dependence and the effect on destinations served only by smaller airports. He said the Department of Transportation should look beyond internal infrastructure and operating issues and consider broader inter-departmental and national economic implications, potentially elevating the matter to Cabinet-level discussion.

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