Zamboanga International Airport
Encyclopedia
Zamboanga International Airport (Filipino (Tagalog)
: Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Zamboanga; Chavacano
and Spanish
: Aeropuerto Internacional de Zamboanga) is the main airport
serving Zamboanga City
in the Philippines
. The airport is Mindanao
's third-busiest airport after Francisco Bangoy International Airport
in Davao City
and Lumbia Airport
in Cagayan de Oro City
. It is the gateway to one of Southeast Asia
's fastest growing business and culture hubs and to the entire western Mindanao
area. The airport covers a total land area of 270 hectares.
The airport is officially classified as an international airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the same agency that runs not only Zamboanga International Airport, but all other airports in the Philippines except the major international airports.
airfield construction unit using considerable Filipino labor. When completed, the single runway was about 4,500 feet long aligned SW to NE. There were two adjacent taxiway
s along both sides of the runway with revertment areas. At the peak of operations in 1945, there were about 300 aircraft flying from the airfield. The vast majority were United States Marine Corps
aircraft from Marine Aircraft Group 24
which were supporting U.S. Army infantry operations on Mindanao but also ranging down the Sulu area as far as Borneo
.
Subsequent improvements increased its capacity to hold flights. The airport used to service nearby international destinations in the past, such as Labuan
and Sandakan
in Malaysia via Philippine Airlines
and Kota Kinabalu
by Malaysia Airlines
; these international services were eventually cut. The Philippine Airlines, in particular, cut its services during the Asian financial crisis, when it was struggling to keep afloat.
On December 10, 2004, South Phoenix Airways announced their international flights to Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu
in Malaysia, but it was eventually cut due to poor load of passengers. Likewise, Asian Spirit
commenced service to Sandakan on May 2, 2007, restarting Zamboanga's international operations. The Zamboanga-Sandakan route and other international routes are expected to grow with the signing of a BIMP-EAGA open skies
agreement, notably with Indonesia's Sriwijaya Air
planning to fly the Zamboanga-Sandakan route.
Zamboanga International Airport, along with all other international airports in the Philippines, was placed under the control of the Manila International Airport Authority under Executive Order No. 341, signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
on August 4, 2004. The changes in management were slated to take effect in June 2007, although it is unknown whether or not the change in management did take place.
Due to the US-RP Agreement, the US Air force used the Airport while the Balikatan exercise held on this city. The biggest aircraft to land in Zamboanga International Airport is the Russian Antonov An-124
-100 Ruslan made to deliver helicopters and some equipment for the American base here in Zamboanga. North American Airlines
Boeing 757
-200s were chartered to transport American soldiers from Guam to Zamboanga. Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs flying from Okinawa come to Zamboanga every now and then. Gemini Air Cargo
's DC-10 was once in Zamboanga Airport for delivery of the materials needed for the US Air Force training.
There were plans to transfer the airport to a 104-hectare lot located between Barangays Talabaan and Taluksangay, possibly making it the largest airport in Mindanao
. However, this plan was shelved after the loan application for the project was turned down, resulting in a lack of funding.
Sta Maria and Barangay
San Roque has finally pushed through with the proposed of the new Zamboanga International Airport somewhere in Barangay Mercedes, Barangay Taluksangay and Barangay Talabaan which is now ongoing as reported.
The national government through the DOTC, alloted 15 million pesos for the feasibility study of the project. In November 2008, Asian Development Bank
(ADB) consultants as well as engineers from Davao City conducted occular inspection at the new airport site.
The development of the new airport for Zamboanga will involve approximately 175 hectares of land acquisition, including the areas for PALS and SALS, glide slope, future runway extension and parallel taxiway and 30-meter road right of way for the access road and diversion of existing barangay road.
The project components will include:
Once it is completed, the new international airport will have the following facilities:
December 21, 2007 - The Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has allotted some P257 million (US$5.2 million) for the improvement of Zamboanga Airport in Zamboanga City.
Earlier, a consortium of international and local investors, offered to construct a modern airport in the city under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme. The proposal was given to the Air Transportation Office
(ATO) by the consortium of investors from Germany
, France
, Japan
, Guam and the Philippines. At least 16 international airlines are expected to fly between the city and its neighboring countries per Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) approval.
October 28, 2008 - Zamboanga International Airport Authority has finalize that observers and engineers is going to have an ocular inspection on the area's plan, to see the cost of the project and the other prospect details. It says that everything will start this coming month (November) reporter said.
March 6, 2009 - Released the feasibility study of Zamboanga International Airport Development Project by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
and Zamboanga using Thai AirAsia
and Indonesia AirAsia
.
has a planned to open a new route destination from Zamboanga to Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) as one of their expansion planned since last year 2008.
Overall Operational Statistics
Source:
and the Airbus A320
. The airport also has taxiways that measure 25 meters in width. While the runway can support aircraft as big as the Boeing 747
, the airport lacks the necessary equipment to facilitate the landing of large aircraft. There are plans to extend the runway to 3,000 meters, making it capable of receiving even bigger aircraft.
The airport, like all other international airports in the Philippines, has runway lights, which make it possible to support night landings. This makes 24-hour airport operations possible.
The runway is presently being shared between the airport and the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB). Military jets and aircraft land and depart on this runway. At the end of Runway 09 is the street to Barangay Sta. Maria, and a park. This can be a perfect spot to take pictures for departing and landing aircraft. At the end of the Runway 27 is San Roque St., which hosts a large public cemetery. It is also a good spot for plane spotting. Each end of the runway has aprons capable of supporting two Boeing 737s. One of the aprons in the end of Runway 9 is being used by the Philippine Air Force. OV-10s, C-130s, and other Air Force and military aircraft are parked there. While the apron at the end of Runway 27 is available, but need repairs.
. The apron has two taxiways. The apron is capable of supporting 4 Airbus A320s and eight large general aviation planes simultaneously. There are also plans to add another apron across the old apron, so that it can accommodate many aircraft at the same time.
The terminal building has a capacity of 400 passengers. The terminal houses a metal detector
and an X-ray machine
, both located at the main entrance of the airport and before entering the Pre-Departure Area. The terminal also has 2 baggage carousels and push carts for passengers' baggage. The airport has check-in counters for each of the airlines that serve Zamboanga.
Inside the terminal, there is only one store managed by the Air Transportation Office. The airport has 3 restrooms. The airport's terminal was designed by an inspired Muslim architect. Outside the terminal are the ticketing office of Cebu Pacific
, Asian Spirit
and the main offices of Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines
. There are also some stores and travel agencies outside the airport terminal.
, a fire station
with 2 firetrucks. There are hangars on the southwest of the terminal. The hangars are privately owned by some charter and business airlines. An old Swift Air Douglas DC-3
is still on the hangar.
The airport's parking area can accommodate 110 vehicles.
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
: Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Zamboanga; Chavacano
Chavacano language
Chavacano or Chabacano, sometimes referred to by linguists as Philippine Creole Spanish, is a Spanish-based creole language spoken in the Philippines...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Aeropuerto Internacional de Zamboanga) is the main airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
serving Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City
The City of Zamboanga : is a highly urbanized, independent and a chartered city located in Mindanao, Philippines....
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The airport is Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
's third-busiest airport after Francisco Bangoy International Airport
Francisco Bangoy International Airport
Francisco Bangoy International Airport , also called Davao International Airport , is the main airport serving Davao City in the Philippines. It is the busiest airport in the island of Mindanao...
in Davao City
Davao City
The City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
and Lumbia Airport
Lumbia Airport
- See also :* Misamis Oriental* Laguindingan International Airport, the first International airport in Northern Mindanao region.* List of airports in the Philippines* Northern Mindanao, designated as Region X in the Philippines....
in Cagayan de Oro City
Cagayan de Oro City
Cagayan de Oro; , officially the City of Cagayan de Oro, is the provincial capital city of the province of Misamis Oriental in the Philippines...
. It is the gateway to one of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
's fastest growing business and culture hubs and to the entire western Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
area. The airport covers a total land area of 270 hectares.
The airport is officially classified as an international airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the same agency that runs not only Zamboanga International Airport, but all other airports in the Philippines except the major international airports.
History
The airport started off as Moret Field, an American airfield that was constructed from a rather poor Japanese airfield just north of Zamboanga. Construction started just after American forces landed at the present location, last March 15, 1945. And there by inside by the Philippine Commonwealth troops in Zamboanga. It was improved by a U.S. ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
airfield construction unit using considerable Filipino labor. When completed, the single runway was about 4,500 feet long aligned SW to NE. There were two adjacent taxiway
Taxiway
A taxiway is a path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller airports sometimes use gravel or grass....
s along both sides of the runway with revertment areas. At the peak of operations in 1945, there were about 300 aircraft flying from the airfield. The vast majority were United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
aircraft from Marine Aircraft Group 24
Marine Aircraft Group 24
Marine Aircraft Group 24 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay that is currently composed of three CH-53D Sea Stallion squadrons, a personnel support detachment and a maintenance and logistics squadron...
which were supporting U.S. Army infantry operations on Mindanao but also ranging down the Sulu area as far as Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
.
Subsequent improvements increased its capacity to hold flights. The airport used to service nearby international destinations in the past, such as Labuan
Labuan
Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...
and Sandakan
Sandakan
Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo...
in Malaysia via Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines, Inc. operating as Philippine Airlines, is a flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered in the Philippine National Bank Financial Center in Pasay City, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name...
and Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
by Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia Airlines
Malaysian Airline System Berhad , DBA Malaysia Airlines , is the government-owned flag carrier of Malaysia. Malaysia Airlines operates flights from its home base, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and its eastern hub in Kota Kinabalu. It has its headquarters on the grounds of Sultan Abdul Aziz...
; these international services were eventually cut. The Philippine Airlines, in particular, cut its services during the Asian financial crisis, when it was struggling to keep afloat.
On December 10, 2004, South Phoenix Airways announced their international flights to Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
in Malaysia, but it was eventually cut due to poor load of passengers. Likewise, Asian Spirit
Asian Spirit
Zest Airways Inc. is an airline based in the Asian Aeronautics Hangar in the General Aviation Area in Pasay City, Metro Manila in the Philippines. It operates scheduled domestic and international tourist services, mainly feeder services linking Manila and Cebu with 24 domestic destinations in...
commenced service to Sandakan on May 2, 2007, restarting Zamboanga's international operations. The Zamboanga-Sandakan route and other international routes are expected to grow with the signing of a BIMP-EAGA open skies
Open skies
Open skies is an international policy concept which calls for the liberalization of rules and regulations on international aviation industry most specially commercial aviation - opening a free market for the airline industry...
agreement, notably with Indonesia's Sriwijaya Air
Sriwijaya Air
Sriwijaya Air is an airline based in Jakarta with headquarters in Central Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. It offers domestic flights to major cities in Indonesia and limited International destinations...
planning to fly the Zamboanga-Sandakan route.
Zamboanga International Airport, along with all other international airports in the Philippines, was placed under the control of the Manila International Airport Authority under Executive Order No. 341, signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
on August 4, 2004. The changes in management were slated to take effect in June 2007, although it is unknown whether or not the change in management did take place.
Due to the US-RP Agreement, the US Air force used the Airport while the Balikatan exercise held on this city. The biggest aircraft to land in Zamboanga International Airport is the Russian Antonov An-124
Antonov An-124
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a strategic airlift jet aircraft. It was designed by the Ukrainian SSR's Antonov design bureau, then part of the Soviet Union. It is the world's largest ever serially-manufactured cargo airplane and world's second largest operating cargo aircraft...
-100 Ruslan made to deliver helicopters and some equipment for the American base here in Zamboanga. North American Airlines
North American Airlines
North American Airlines, Inc. is an American airline with its headquarters in Building 141 on the grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, USA. Prior to May 2008, it operated scheduled international services from the USA to Africa and Guyana. Today, it...
Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
-200s were chartered to transport American soldiers from Guam to Zamboanga. Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs flying from Okinawa come to Zamboanga every now and then. Gemini Air Cargo
Gemini Air Cargo
Gemini Air Cargo was an American ACMI cargo airline headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, USA. It operated worldwide cargo schedules and charters on a wet-lease basis....
's DC-10 was once in Zamboanga Airport for delivery of the materials needed for the US Air Force training.
There were plans to transfer the airport to a 104-hectare lot located between Barangays Talabaan and Taluksangay, possibly making it the largest airport in Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
. However, this plan was shelved after the loan application for the project was turned down, resulting in a lack of funding.
Future plans
Currently, the proposed plan of transferring the present airport in BarangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
Sta Maria and Barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
San Roque has finally pushed through with the proposed of the new Zamboanga International Airport somewhere in Barangay Mercedes, Barangay Taluksangay and Barangay Talabaan which is now ongoing as reported.
The national government through the DOTC, alloted 15 million pesos for the feasibility study of the project. In November 2008, Asian Development Bank
Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...
(ADB) consultants as well as engineers from Davao City conducted occular inspection at the new airport site.
The development of the new airport for Zamboanga will involve approximately 175 hectares of land acquisition, including the areas for PALS and SALS, glide slope, future runway extension and parallel taxiway and 30-meter road right of way for the access road and diversion of existing barangay road.
The project components will include:
- Construction of New Terminal that will accommodate more passengers.
- Construction of 6 Jet bridges on the proposed New Terminal.
- Construction of new 3,440 metre long runway, to accommodate more and bigger planes.
- Construction of new taxiways and aprons.
- Construction of a new Modern Control Tower.
Once it is completed, the new international airport will have the following facilities:
- 6 Jet Bridges.
- 3,440 meter runway.
- Can accommodate up to 8 Million passengers per year.
December 21, 2007 - The Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has allotted some P257 million (US$5.2 million) for the improvement of Zamboanga Airport in Zamboanga City.
Earlier, a consortium of international and local investors, offered to construct a modern airport in the city under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme. The proposal was given to the Air Transportation Office
Air Transportation Office
The Philippines' Civil Aviation Authority formerly Air Transportation Office, abbreviated as CAAP, is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Transportation and Communications responsible for implementing policies on civil aviation to assure safe, economic and efficient air...
(ATO) by the consortium of investors from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Guam and the Philippines. At least 16 international airlines are expected to fly between the city and its neighboring countries per Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) approval.
October 28, 2008 - Zamboanga International Airport Authority has finalize that observers and engineers is going to have an ocular inspection on the area's plan, to see the cost of the project and the other prospect details. It says that everything will start this coming month (November) reporter said.
March 6, 2009 - Released the feasibility study of Zamboanga International Airport Development Project by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
Domestic
Air Asia
The AirAsia Bhd. seek more flights in the Philippines. Mr. Fernandes said he wants to open a new link destinations in the Philippines by this year 2009, particularly in Cebu, Davao, ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
and Zamboanga using Thai AirAsia
Thai AirAsia
Thai AirAsia is a joint venture of Malaysian low-fare airline AirAsia and Thailand's Asia Aviation. It serves AirAsia's regularly scheduled domestic and international flights from Bangkok and other cities in Thailand....
and Indonesia AirAsia
Indonesia AirAsia
PT. Indonesia AirAsia is a low-cost airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates scheduled domestic, international services and is an Indonesian associate carrier of Malaysian low-fare airline AirAsia. Its main base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta...
.
South East Asian Airlines
SeairSouth East Asian Airlines
Southeast Asian Airlines , Inc. operating as SEAir is an airline based in Pampanga, the Philippines. It operates domestic services and its main base is Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, with hubs at Godofredo P. Ramos Airport, Malay, Aklan.- History :The airline was established in 1995...
has a planned to open a new route destination from Zamboanga to Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) as one of their expansion planned since last year 2008.
Zest Airways
Zest Airways (formerly Asian Spirit) discontinued on its service from Zamboanga to Cebu and Sandakan, Malaysia. There's no complete schedule yet for the resuming of their service.Traffic and Statistics
Overall Operational Statistics
| Years | Busiest Airports in the Philippines Rank | Passenger Movements | Aircraft Movements | Cargo Movements in Metric Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | ||||
| 2002 | ||||
| 2003 | ||||
| 2004 | ||||
| 2005 | ||||
| 2006 | ||||
| 2007 | ||||
| 2008 | ||||
| 2009 | ||||
| 2010 |
Source:
Runways
Zamboanga International Airport has one 2,610-meter primary runway. The dimensions of the runway are 2,610 meters in length by 45 meters in width, is designated as Runway 09/27 and is capable of supporting the Boeing 737Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
and the Airbus A320
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
. The airport also has taxiways that measure 25 meters in width. While the runway can support aircraft as big as the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
, the airport lacks the necessary equipment to facilitate the landing of large aircraft. There are plans to extend the runway to 3,000 meters, making it capable of receiving even bigger aircraft.
The airport, like all other international airports in the Philippines, has runway lights, which make it possible to support night landings. This makes 24-hour airport operations possible.
The runway is presently being shared between the airport and the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB). Military jets and aircraft land and depart on this runway. At the end of Runway 09 is the street to Barangay Sta. Maria, and a park. This can be a perfect spot to take pictures for departing and landing aircraft. At the end of the Runway 27 is San Roque St., which hosts a large public cemetery. It is also a good spot for plane spotting. Each end of the runway has aprons capable of supporting two Boeing 737s. One of the aprons in the end of Runway 9 is being used by the Philippine Air Force. OV-10s, C-130s, and other Air Force and military aircraft are parked there. While the apron at the end of Runway 27 is available, but need repairs.
Terminals
The airport has one terminal and a 30,000 square-meter apronAirport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...
. The apron has two taxiways. The apron is capable of supporting 4 Airbus A320s and eight large general aviation planes simultaneously. There are also plans to add another apron across the old apron, so that it can accommodate many aircraft at the same time.
The terminal building has a capacity of 400 passengers. The terminal houses a metal detector
Metal detector
A metal detector is a device which responds to metal that may not be readily apparent.The simplest form of a metal detector consists of an oscillator producing an alternating current that passes through a coil producing an alternating magnetic field...
and an X-ray machine
X-ray machine
An X-ray generator is a device used to generate X-rays. These devices are commonly used by radiographers to acquire an x-ray image of the inside of an object but they are also used in sterilization or fluorescence....
, both located at the main entrance of the airport and before entering the Pre-Departure Area. The terminal also has 2 baggage carousels and push carts for passengers' baggage. The airport has check-in counters for each of the airlines that serve Zamboanga.
Inside the terminal, there is only one store managed by the Air Transportation Office. The airport has 3 restrooms. The airport's terminal was designed by an inspired Muslim architect. Outside the terminal are the ticketing office of Cebu Pacific
Cebu Pacific
Cebu Air, Inc., operating as Cebu Pacific Air, is based on the grounds of Ninoy Aquino International Airport , Pasay City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It offers scheduled flights to both domestic and international destinations...
, Asian Spirit
Asian Spirit
Zest Airways Inc. is an airline based in the Asian Aeronautics Hangar in the General Aviation Area in Pasay City, Metro Manila in the Philippines. It operates scheduled domestic and international tourist services, mainly feeder services linking Manila and Cebu with 24 domestic destinations in...
and the main offices of Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines
Air Philippines
Air Philippines Corporation, now operating as Airphil Express , is a low-cost airline based in Pasay City, in the Philippines. It operates both domestic and international scheduled services from Manila, Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga. The airline was re-branded for a number of times, first as Air...
. There are also some stores and travel agencies outside the airport terminal.
Other structures
The airport also has a modern control towerControl tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
, a fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
with 2 firetrucks. There are hangars on the southwest of the terminal. The hangars are privately owned by some charter and business airlines. An old Swift Air Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
is still on the hangar.
The airport's parking area can accommodate 110 vehicles.
Incidents and accidents
- On May 3, 2006, Cebu PacificCebu PacificCebu Air, Inc., operating as Cebu Pacific Air, is based on the grounds of Ninoy Aquino International Airport , Pasay City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It offers scheduled flights to both domestic and international destinations...
flight 393, a Douglas DC-9 from Davao, was on final approach on Runway 27 at 9:15 am. After touchdown, the left main gear of the aircraft burst. All 100 passengers were safe, but the aircraft was stuck on the runway. Because of this, the airport was closed for 23 hours. Air PhilippinesAir PhilippinesAir Philippines Corporation, now operating as Airphil Express , is a low-cost airline based in Pasay City, in the Philippines. It operates both domestic and international scheduled services from Manila, Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga. The airline was re-branded for a number of times, first as Air...
flights to Zamboanga were canceled, as well as all Philippine Airlines afternoon flights to and from Zamboanga and Cebu PacificCebu PacificCebu Air, Inc., operating as Cebu Pacific Air, is based on the grounds of Ninoy Aquino International Airport , Pasay City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It offers scheduled flights to both domestic and international destinations...
flights to Manila. A South East Asian AirlinesSouth East Asian AirlinesSoutheast Asian Airlines , Inc. operating as SEAir is an airline based in Pampanga, the Philippines. It operates domestic services and its main base is Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, with hubs at Godofredo P. Ramos Airport, Malay, Aklan.- History :The airline was established in 1995...
flight from Jolo that was about to land in Zamboanga was ordered to go back due to the incident. The Cebu Pacific Zamboanga office advised their Manila office about the problem, sending two new landing gears to Zamboanga. However, since the aircraft was stuck on the runway, the plane that was going to deliver the planes gear landed at Pagadian AirportPagadian AirportPagadian Airport is an airport serving the general area of Pagadian City, the capital of Zamboanga del Sur, and neighboring municipalities and provinces such as Zamboanga Sibugay in the Philippines...
and helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s of the Philippine Air ForcePhilippine Air ForceThe Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
delivered the landing gears to the airport. The next day, the aircraft was removed from the runway and normal airport operations resumed. Due to the incident, Philippine Airlines and Air PhilippinesAir PhilippinesAir Philippines Corporation, now operating as Airphil Express , is a low-cost airline based in Pasay City, in the Philippines. It operates both domestic and international scheduled services from Manila, Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga. The airline was re-branded for a number of times, first as Air...
were forced to hold special flights. - On December 28, 2006, a Philippine Air ForcePhilippine Air ForceThe Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
assault helicopter crashed during an emergency landing Thursday on the airport's runway. The pilots of the rocket-firing MG520 helicopter, which is used against al-QaedaAl-QaedaAl-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
-linked militants and communist guerrillas, were on a routine maintenance flight when they decided to make an emergency landing for still-unclear reasons. The MG530 was damaged and its two pilots were slightly injured and shaken by the crash landing. - On August 5, 2010, a bombing incident occurred upon the arrival of Sulu Governor Abdulsakur Tan, who was the main target of the terrorists, from Manila at 6:00pm. The incident killed two people and several were hurt, including Tan. This incident prompted Representative Beng Climaco to make a proposal to relocate the airport to its new site that will cost PhP 9 billion.
- On March 9, 2011, Philippine AirlinesPhilippine AirlinesPhilippine Airlines, Inc. operating as Philippine Airlines, is a flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered in the Philippine National Bank Financial Center in Pasay City, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name...
flight PR-124 bound for Manila scheduled to depart at 6:55 am was turning slowly for take off when its left wheel fell off the concrete runway and got stuck in the mud. All 90 passengers safely disembarked from the aircraft and returned to the pre-departure area.
See also
- List of airports in the Philippines
- Francisco Bangoy International AirportFrancisco Bangoy International AirportFrancisco Bangoy International Airport , also called Davao International Airport , is the main airport serving Davao City in the Philippines. It is the busiest airport in the island of Mindanao...
- Lumbia AirportLumbia Airport- See also :* Misamis Oriental* Laguindingan International Airport, the first International airport in Northern Mindanao region.* List of airports in the Philippines* Northern Mindanao, designated as Region X in the Philippines....