Qantas flight diverted to Clark airport due to NAIA congestion

Due to lack of space to park at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, this huge Qantas plane flew in to the Clark International Airport in Clark Freeport, Pampanga. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Philippines—An empty Qantas Airways Airbus A380 was diverted to the Clark International Airport (CRK) north of here due to congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City, an official said.

Ritchie Nacpil, head of the operations department of the Clark International Airport Corp., said the plane landed at 1:37 a.m. at Clark and flew out at 4 a.m.

No space was available for parking it at the NAIA, Nacpil said.

The A380, said to be the largest commercial aircraft in the world, parked at the main ramp of CRK for refueling, Nacpil said. It originated from Hong Kong.

The CRK, a former United States Air Force facility, functions as an alternative to NAIA, mostly during typhoons. On bad weather, the 2,300-hectare CRK could receive as many as 20 aircraft.

Emirates will start flights to and from CRK to Dubai on Oct. 1 using Boeing 777 aircraft. Qatar Airways also begin flights in Clark in October.

AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Dragonair Philippines AirAsia and Tigerair fly via Clark.