Regional carrier Sky Pasada has restored its hub at the Laoag International Airport, with flights to Basco, Batanes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Atty. Nikki Pillar and Area 1 CAAP Manager Ronald Estabillo were among the local dignitaries who attended the airline's celebration of the Laoag-Basco route reopening.
According to government data, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which killed at least 774 people globally and sickened over 8,000 people, caused the hub to close in 2003.
Welcome addition
“We're glad to welcome additional flights to the Laoag International Airport and hopefully to revive international routes such as China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan,” Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc said.
He voiced support for maintaining the Laoag-Basco route, which is mainly used by students and frequent business travelers.
The first flight from Basco carried 13 people and touched down at Laoag International Airport. Nine people boarded the return trip, indicating the increasing demand for connectivity in the area.
This development is consistent with Sky Pasada's mission to give underprivileged communities in Northern Luzon easy access to affordable air travel options.
‘Jeepney of the sky’
The airline, also referred to as the "jeepney in the sky," operates a fleet of Let L-410 Turbolet UVP, Cessna Grand Caravan EX, and GippsAero GA8 Airvan aircraft that are ideal for smaller airstrips and airports.
The airline also intends to start flights via Binalonan, Pangasinan, linking Laoag with Calayan in Cagayan and Baguio City.
The airline facilitates increased accessibility to the region's distinctive locations while aiding the development of rural communities by offering dependable air travel options.
