In an effort to increase domestic travel, the La Union provincial government plans to relaunch the San Fernando Airport by having select commercial flights going to parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.
The main proposal is to bring flights to the airport, connecting San Fernando to Siargao and Cebu City, among other destinations.
In a statement, Governor Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David said that during their visit to the province, representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC) engaged in a discussion focused on developing strategies to bring back commercial domestic flight operations at the San Fernando Airport.
Reviving flights
The provincial government is eager to push for the development of the San Fernando Airport to mount flights as soon as possible.
"I’ve always been optimistic about the great potential our airport has to offer, especially as someone who has personally flown and trained on our own runway during my student pilot days," Ortega-David said.
Although a precise date for the trips' return to La Union has yet to be announced, the LGU mentioned the potential for increased economic prospects for the area.
"This will also hopefully open up employment prospects for residents in Northern Luzon who may now easily travel to job centers in key cities in the South,” the governor added.
An already equipped La Union airport
As smaller planes may already be easily handled at San Fernando Airport, the area also features a passenger terminal building, a runway fit for regional aircraft, and all the necessary air traffic control infrastructure required for commercial flights.
Although there hasn't been as much passenger traffic lately, the La Union’s San Fernando Airport is still important for aviation education as it hosts several recognized aviation schools. It also serves a few chartered planes, highlighting the possibility of future growth.
