Central, North Luzon residents unaware of Clark airport flights

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga  – Twenty-two percent of Central and Northern Luzon residents who flew to international and domestic destinations through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila from January to May were not aware of the flights at the Clark International Airport here.

This was among the results of a survey conducted recently by the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC), in a bid to lure passengers from Regions 1, 2, 3 and the Cordilleras to use Clark airport.

The survey referred to the regions as Clark’s “catchment area,” as against NAIA’s catchment area covering the National Capital Region (NCR) and Regions 4 and 5.

CIAC presented the report during a recent hearing here by the House Committee on Transportation led by Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento.

The hearing discussed the proposed development of Clark airport as a premiere gateway.

The survey said from January to May this year, NAIA had over 15 million passengers. Of the number, more than two million were from Clark’s catchment area.

It said 41 percent of NAIA passengers flew to destinations reached by flights available at Clark.

The survey said of those who came from Clark’s catchment area, 78 percent knew that Clark airport is operating international and domestic flights.

From January to May, Clark airport recorded 569,000 passengers.