Loakan Airport | |
Iata: | BAG |
Icao: | RPUB |
Type: | Public |
Owner-Oper: | Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines |
City-Served: | Metro Baguio |
Elevation-F: | 4,251 |
Elevation-M: | 1,296 |
Coordinates: | 16.375°N 120.6194°W |
Pushpin Map: | Luzon mainland#Philippines |
Pushpin Label: | BAG/RPUB |
Metric-Rwy: | yes |
Metric-Elev: | yes |
R1-Number: | 09/27 |
R1-Length-F: | 5,912 |
R1-Length-M: | 1,802 |
R1-Surface: | Concrete |
Stat-Year: | 2021 |
Stat1-Header: | Passengers |
Stat1-Data: | 1,532 |
Stat2-Header: | Aircraft movements |
Stat2-Data: | 386 |
Stat3-Header: | Cargo (in kg) |
Stat3-Data: | 0 |
Footnotes: | Statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.[1] |
Loakan Airport serves the general area of Baguio, Philippines. It is classified as a Class 2 principal (minor domestic) airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). Loakan Airport, the city's only airport, was built in 1934.[2] Its short runway, frequent low visibility, and deep ravines at both ends of the runway continue to challenge pilots greatly, especially when it comes to landing.
The airport was built in 1934 by the American colonial government.[3] On March 15, 1941, the first flight of Philippine Airlines performed by a Beechcraft Model 18 from Manila's Nielson Field landed at the airport.[4] In December 1941, during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, the airfield was occupied by the 9th Regiment of the Imperial Japanese Army. The area was recaptured by the United States Army in April 1945.[5]
Commercial flights soon commenced to the airport. However, due to the elevation of the airport and navigational difficulties in an event of low visibilities, the airport was dropped by from the flight routes of many airlines. Airlines reduced the number of flights to the airport after the 1990 Luzon earthquake. Despite the successful trial flight of a Philippine Airlines Boeing 737-300 to the airport from Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport on February 5, 1996, regular jet services from the airline never materialized.[6]
During the presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the airport was planned to be closed and converted into an extension of the Baguio City Economic Zone in 2008. That however was discouraged by the officials of the Baguio city government.
During its closure to commercial flights, the airport was used by military and private aircraft.
Plans to revive the airport have been announced by numerous entities over the years.[7] There were attempts to reopen the airport for commercial flights in 2012 and 2015.[8]
In January 2020, the city government of Baguio announced that they were considering a deal from San Miguel Corporation to open and operate the airport in the second quarter of 2020.[9] It had already started moves to ensure that the airport is ready for commercial operations by resolving the issues seen by the CAAP such as the encroachment of residents and obstructions on the runway but have received protests from residents who have legitimate land titles in the area.[10] [11]
Although the city government announced the following year that the airport is now ready to receive commercial flights after it has completed the initial steps outlined by the CAAP to address the safety issues for commercial aircraft,[12] a more targeted opening date was not announced until 2022, with the city government announcing that it aims to reopen the airport in November 2022, in time for the Christmas season.[13] It also announced that it will spend around ₱68 million to rehabilitate the airport terminal.[14]
Loakan Airport reopened on December 16, 2022, with Philippine Airlines (operated by PAL Express) launching the first regular commercial flight to the airport in decades to and from Mactan–Cebu International Airport on the day of the reopening.[15] However, commercial flights between Baguio and Cebu, were discontinued on July 1, 2024, due to insufficient passenger demand.[16]