Caticlan-Boracay Airport Runway Extension To Be Completed in 2014

The San Miguel Corporation has revealed that it intends to complete the runway extension at the Boracay-Caticlan Airport by the end of 2014 clearing the way for larger international flights to access the popular beach holiday resort destination via the Godofredo P. Ramos Airport.

Photo Credit: AYS / Skyscraper Forums

The current runway measures only 950 meters in length and is served commercially by turbo-prop aircraft arriving from domestic centres like Manila and Cebu. With the completion of the runway extension up to 2,100 metres, larger Boeing and Airbus jet aircraft will be able to land at the airport from popular Asian hubs in Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, and Singapore. There is also a strong possibility of charter flights arriving from places like Australia and Russia's Far East. 

The runway extension is a key component of the Boracay Airport upgrade that will see nearly $300 million in investments including a new terminal, equipment, and nearby commercial facilities. In a text message with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Ramon Ang, President & CEO of San Miguel Corporation, confirmed that, "The runway will be done by the end of 2014."

The airport is currently managed and operated by TransAire Development Holdings Corporation, a division of the San Miguel Group. The development of airports is a key component of the conglomerate's strategy to increase its presence in the tourism industry. In the past, the conglomerate discussed constructing a replacement for the ageing Ninoy Aquino International Airport complex and recently submitted a bid for the expansion project at Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Ang says that the San Miguel Group is also interested in pursuing other airport deals including the bundled operations and maintenance contracts at Davao, Bacolod, and Iloilo airports that combine to serve 5.5 million passengers each year based on 2011 government statistics.  

The Caticlan Airport is the seventh-busiest airport in the country and is the nearest of two airports that serve Boracay Island. Visitor arrivals to Boracay exceeded one million tourists last year while 2009 statistics indicate that the Caticlan Airport handled approximately 538,000 passengers. It is estimated that once the Caticlan-Boracay Airport expansion is completed, the airport could serve up to 3 million passengers annually.