New airport in Cagayan readied for inaugural flight

The Cagayan North International Airport (also called Lal-lo International Airport) cuts travel time to the northern towns of Cagayan province. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CAGAYAN FREEPORT — The Cagayan North International Airport (also called Lal-lo International Airport) in Cagayan province is ready to receive its inaugural commercial flight from Macau on March 23, following major upgrades that will open up this free port to East Asia and the North Pacific.

The most important development was the installation of a precision approach path indicator, a visual navigational tool to help pilots acquire and maintain approach to an airport for safe landing, said Raul Lambino, administrator of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (Ceza), during a meeting of the Cagayan Valley regional development council (RDC) in Sta. Ana town last week.

The new navigational equipment prepares the airport in Lal-lo town for the arrival of an Airbus 320 or a Boeing 737 aircraft, he said. The airport also expects to serve domestic flights by April.

“I note with brimming satisfaction that it will signal the start of of Lal-lo airport’s commercial operation. To get to Santa Ana, you don’t have to fly anymore to Tuguegarao City,” Lambino said.

According to Lambino, it took three hours to drive to Ceza in Santa Ana, from Tuguegarao City.

During the RDC meeting, he said Ceza had complied with the construction of safety areas on both ends of the 2.1-kilometer runway of the Lal-lo airport. —Melvin Gascon