Laguindingan Airport

Laguindingan Airport, also referred to as Laguindingan International Airport (Cebuano: Tugpahanan sa Laguindingan, Maranao: Landing a Laguindingan; IATA: CGY, ICAO: RPMY), is the first international airport in Northern Mindanao that serves the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Marawi, as well as the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon. The airport is Mindanao's second-busiest airport after Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City. It It is classified as a Principal Domestic Airport Class 1 by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), a body of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) responsible for implementing policies on civil aviation to assure safe, economic and efficient air travel, and the handling of operations at airports (except major international ones).[2]

Laguindingan Airport

Tugpahanan sa Laguindingan
Landing a Laguindingan
Façade of Laguindingan Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorCivil Aviation Authority of the Philippines
ServesCagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Northern Mindanao
LocationBarangay Moog, Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental
Opened15 June 2013 (2013-06-15)
Focus city for
Elevation AMSL58 m / 190 ft
Coordinates08°36′45″N 124°27′26″E
Map
CGY/RPMY
Location in the Philippines
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 2,100 6,890 Concrete
Statistics (2018)
Passengers2,079, 684
16.61%
Aircraft movements14,478
10.61%
Cargo (in kg)25,366, 119
44.09%
Source: eFOI[1]

The airport sits on a 4.17 square kilometers (1.61 sq mi) site in Barangay Moog, Laguindingan,[3] and is 46 kilometers (29 mi) from Cagayan de Oro and 57 kilometers (35 mi) from Iligan. It opened on June 15, 2013, and replaced both Lumbia Airport (now Lumbia Airfield) in Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro and Maria Cristina Airport in Maria Cristina, Iligan.[4][5] Lumbia Airport now serves as a military air base for the Philippine Air Force, while Maria Cristina Airport in Iligan serves general aviation.

As of 2019, Laguindingan Airport was the sixth-busiest airport in the country, with an estimate of two million passengers passing through it.[6]

Overview

The airport project is located in the municipality of Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao. The airport project envisages the development of new major trunkline airport compliant to international standards of safety and operation to meet the air transportation demand of the region.[7] The airport project also aims to boost economic activities, specifically of the Cagayan-Iligan Corridor, and expects to serve as the gateway to Northern Mindanao.

The airport has a single 2,100 m x 45 m runway, which can accommodate four takeoffs and landings an hour.[8][9] It features a 7184 m2 passenger terminal building that can accommodate 1.6 million passengers a year.[10] The airport can accommodate 2,000 passengers a day.[11]

History

Funding and implementation
Sources of funds for the Laguindingan Airport Development Project[12]
Source of funds Funds (in millions of US$)
from the South Korea's Economic Development and Cooperation Fund 30.60 million
from the Export Credit Loan facility of the KEXIM 62.75 million
from the Philippine Government 60.36 million
for the Air Navigation and Support facilities from KEXIM[13] 13.38 million

The airport project was implemented by the Philippine Government through the Department of Transportation and Communications. After the completion of the project, the airport was turned-over to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

The approved cost of the airport project is US$167.09 million or ₱7.853 billion.[14] The cost was duly approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Board on August 30, 2007. Plans for the upgrade have existed since 1991 but have been stymied by land acquisition and financing problems. Although the Philippine Government has signed a US$25 million soft loan agreement with the South Korean government through its Economic Development Cooperation Fund, there has been difficulty in raising counterpart funding for acquisition of the estimated 300 hectares of land eventually required by the airport complex.

The Laguindingan Airport Development Project was inaugurated on January 10, 2006, with groundbreaking ceremonies presided by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who advocated the idea of an international airport along the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Corridor.[15][16]

Construction

By July 2007, the construction of the 4.4-kilometer four-lane access road had started to connect the new airport to the national road.

In early 2008, grading of the airport site area started. It was headed by the Department of Transportation and Communications and its foreign and local consultants, South Korea-based Yooshin Engineering Corporation and Ortigas Center, Pasig-based SCHEMA Konsult, Inc. respectively, and Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Company as the general contractor for the project.

Opening

President Benigno Aquino III expected that the opening of the airport would happen in April 2013.[17] However, on April 18, 2013, the DOTC announced that the opening would be pushed back to June 15, 2013[18] because CAAP had received requests from airlines to postpone the transfer until after the summer peak season, as an April 30 opening would require the cancellation of several daily trips.[19] It was inaugurated by President Aquino on June 13, 2013, two days before its opening.[20]

Recent developments

Laguindingan Airport was expected to facilitate night landings by December 2014, upon the completion of the installment of the Instrument Landing System and other equipment.[21] However, it was only on March 12, 2015, that the airport began to accommodate night flights. With this recent development, operating hours were increased to 5 am–9 pm from the previous 6 am–6 pm daily schedule.[22]

On October 20, 2017, Cebu Pacific made Laguindingan Airport its seventh hub, with its wholly owned subsidiary Cebgo adding flights to Caticlan and Dumaguete at the same time.[23][24]

Philippine Airlines opened a Mabuhay Lounge at the airport in January 2018.[25]

On February 26, 2019, Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. was granted by CAAP an Original Proponent Status (OPS) for its unsolicited proposal for the airport's upgrade, expansion, operations, and maintenance.[26]

Airlines and destinations
A flight information screen seen at the arrival area.

As of June 8, 2020, some flights have resumed, with particular schedules of operations mandated by the City Mayor. However, due to cancellation of flights because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this list is no longer current and destinations are subject to change without prior notice.[27]

Passenger
AirlinesDestinations
Cebu Pacific Cebu, Iloilo, Manila
Cebu Pacific
operated by Cebgo 		Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Panglao
Philippine Airlines
operated by PAL Express 		Cebu, Manila
Philippines AirAsia Cebu, Clark, Iloilo, Manila

Cargo
AirlinesDestinations
Cebu Pacific
operated by Cebgo 		General Santos, Manila

Future

Expansion

In August 2013, the Project Development and Monitoring Facility Board had approved for the revision of the operations and maintenance of the airport. The operations and maintenance were already approved for funding but were revised to include the construction of a new terminal to the winning PPP bidder. The Department of Transportation and Communications was tasked to construct the terminal along with other airside civil works, air navigational facilities, landside building works, as well as other facilities. The revision is part of maintaining the airport on par with ICAO standards.[28]

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and airport manager Jose Bodiongan, the airport would become the “busiest regional transportation hub” with the installation of the runway lights, navigation equipment (required for nighttime flights) and the purchase of two new fire trucks.[29]

An expansion of the passenger and cargo terminals and parking lot are being planned. With the large South Korean presence in Cagayan de Oro, the regional Department of Tourism is eyeing flights from Busan to Cagayan de Oro via Singapore or a direct route from Busan to Cagayan de Oro to further bolster the tourism industry in the region.[30] The CAAP was set to initially approve Busan-Cagayan de Oro and Seoul-Cagayan de Oro flights by the fourth quarter of 2015.[31]

Aerotropolis

Ayala Land, who owned 183 of the 417 hectares of land acquired by the government to develop the airport complex, has future plans to develop an aerotropolis around the airport.[32][33] This is part of the pre-conditions granted by Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for expropriating the lands the government bought from the corporation.[3] Ayala Corporation, the parent company of Ayala Land, is one of the bidders in privatizing, through the public-private partnership scheme, the operations and maintenance of the airport.[10]

In September 2017, Ayala Land is set to build its first industrial estate outside Luzon within the planned aerotropolis.[34]

Statistics

Data from Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).[35]

Laguindingan International Airport
  • The view of the Laguindingan International Airport Terminal from its access road.
  • A Cebu Pacific Air Airbus A320 registered as RP-C3266 is seen taxiing after being pushed back for departure bound for Manila.
  • The arrival area of Laguindingan International Airport.
  • The wing view from an Airbus A320 backtracking at the end of runway 09.
  • A PAL Express Airbus A321 is embarking passengers on a flight bound for Manila.

See also

References
  1. Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines - Aerodrome Development & Management Service (15 April 2018). "Passenger Statistics Philippines". Republic of the Philippines - Freedom of Information Portal. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  2. "Philippine Principal Class I/II Airports". Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
  3. Ma. Cecilia Rodriguez (July 22, 2007). "Waiting for the flight from Laguindingan". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  4. "Laguindingan airport in Misamis opens". ABS-CBN News. June 15, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  5. "Laguindingan airport to open on June 15". BusinessMirror. June 3, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  6. "Aboitiz gets original proponent status for Laguindingan Airport". ABS-CBN News. March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  7. "Laguindingan Airport Development Project "On Schedule"". Laguindingan Airport Development Project. November 21, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  8. Elaine O. Ratunil (February 27, 2013). "PNoy: P7.9-B airport will boost econ of M. Oriental". Philippine Information Agency. Archived from the original on August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  9. "After 22 years, Laguindingan Airport starts commercial operation June 15". MindaNews. Mindanao Times. June 13, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  10. "San Miguel keen on Laguindingan airport PPP". Rappler. June 13, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  11. Darwin G. Amojelar (June 3, 2013). "Laguindingan Airport to start operations on June 15". Interaksyon. Archived from the original on August 16, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  12. "About the Laguindingan International Airport". Laguindingan International Airport. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  13. "Laguindingan airport fully operational by June 15". Malaya. June 4, 2013. Archived from the original on August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  14. Mike U. Crismundo (June 11, 2013). "Security tight in run-up to Laguindingan airport opening". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  15. Louie Logarta (November 22, 2012). "Laguindingan Airport a tragedy waiting to happen". The Daily Tribune. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  16. Kris Bayos (June 10, 2013). "Laguindingan Airport opens June 15". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  17. "Int'l Airport in CDO Opens in April – Aquino". Manila Bulletin. Yahoo! News Philippines. February 16, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  18. Gerry Gorit (June 11, 2013). "Laguindingan Airport to open June 15". GMA News. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  19. Edu Lopez (April 18, 2013). "DOTC resets transfer to new Cagayan de Oro Airport to June 15". Manila Bulletin. Civil Aeronautics Board. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  20. Efren Montano (June 12, 2013). "PNoy inaugurates new Laguindingan airport". Journal Online. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  21. "Laguindingan Airport may see night flights by Dec". Port Calls Asia. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-17.
  22. "First night flight arrives at Laguindingan airport in Northern Mindanao". GMA News. March 13, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  23. Mike Baños (October 20, 2017). "CEB launches Laguindingan as 7th Regional Hub". Kagay-an. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  24. "Cebu Pacific Launches Laguindingan as 7th Hub" (Press release). CdoDev. October 20, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  25. "Domestic Lounge". www.philippineairlines.com. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  26. Galvez, Daphne (March 4, 2019). "Aboitiz awarded original proponent status for Laguindingan airport". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  27. "Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)". www.philippineairlines.com. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
  28. Cai U. Ordinario (August 7, 2013). "PDMF approves pre-feasibility funding for three PPP projects". BusinessMirror. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  29. "Laguindingan airport touted to become busiest regional transport hub". MindaNews. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  30. Mike Banos (March 13, 2014). "Still a long way to go for international flights in Laguindingan". Businessweek Mindanao. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  31. Pelone, Ruel Villanueva. "The web portal of BWM Group of Publications". www.businessweekmindanao.com. Retrieved 2015-08-01.
  32. "Ayala Eyes Aerotropolis Concept for Laguindingan" (PDF). National Economic and Development Authority. September 16, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  33. "Ayala eyes Aerotropolis concept for Laguindingan". CDO Dev. September 19, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  34. Dumlao-Abadilla, Doris (October 2, 2017). "ALI to develop Mindanao ind'l estate". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  35. Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (23 July 2018). "Yearly Passenger, Cargo and Aircraft Movements of all airports in the Philippines 1997–2017". Republic of the Philippines - Freedom of Information Portal. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
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