Special powers for Duterte to include traffic in skies

The emergency powers being sought by the Duterte administration would clear traffic not just on the ground, but in our skies as well.

The Department of Transportation told members of the Senate this week that the request for added powers would help cut air traffic at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), which is already operating well beyond its intended capacity.

Data from the Manila International Airport Authority, the operator of Naia, showed that the airport’s four passenger terminals handled about 36.6 million passengers last year, against its design capacity for just 31 million passengers.

An environment where demand continues to grow coupled with expansion limitations at Naia has led to the increase in air traffic congestion and delays, in particular, during peak hours.

With special powers, the department said it could authorize the Civil Aeronautics Board to “redistribute” air traffic at Naia, which currently accounts for about 87 percent of the total figure.

The department said flights could be moved to the nearby Clark International Airport in Pampanga and Davao International Airport, apart from “other developmental international gateways.”

The department said freeing up runway space for commercial flights also meant removing general aviation activities, which includes private flights, from operating at Naia. The department said special powers would allow the “immediate transfer” of general aviation to the Sangley Point airbase in Cavite. TVJ