Tacloban flights suspended

Tacloban Airport, Wikipedia Photo

MANILA – Because of the “fast developing potholes” on the airport’s runway, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has suspended all flights to the Tacloban Airport.

Airline operators said the potholes could damage their planes and compromise the saftey of passengers.

In a statement released on Monday, Daniel Romualdez Airport will be closed on Sept. 3 to Sept. 4 “for turbo propeller aircraft only.

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“Jets like Airbus A320 or Boeing B737 will resume flights thereat only after the total replacement of the five-inch asphalt on the whole runway is done,” the CAAP said in the statement.

The CAAP official said larger commercial jets are unlikely to use it for “months” as broader repairs will be undertaken. 

The airport’s 2,100-meter runway serves a total of 24 flights per day, according to CAAP chief financial officer, Rodante Joya, in an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“The continuing deterioration of the runway surface must be addressed immediately for the safety of all aircraft landing in Tacloban,” Joya said.