Kalibo Airport May Restrict Operations in 2014

With the surging popularity of Boracay Island as an international tourism destination, the Department of Tourism is recommending that possible restrictions be imposed as early as next year on operations at Kalibo International Airport, the primary international gateway to Boracay Island.

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According to the Regional Director of the Department of Tourism Region 6, Helen Catalbas, the government agency is recommending that Kalibo International Airport be restricted from handling too many aircraft movements to prevent overcrowding.

"Right now, Kalibo International Airport suffers from overcrowding due to the increasing number of foreign and local tourists going to Boracay," said Catalbas. However, the Department of Tourism is also being careful to ensure that such restrictions will not have a major economic impact by requesting that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines expedite any planned development of the airport including extensions and rehabilitation projects.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines reports that Kalibo International Airport is one of the ten busiest airports in the country. In addition to several daily flights to Manila and other domestic points in the Philippines, Kalibo is also home to several charter flights to Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Korea. Earlier this year, TigerAir launched the first direct non-stop scheduled service between Kalibo and Singapore.