Mindanao's Airports: Major Transport Hubs In The Philippines

Mindanao is the second-largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. Despite its distance from the country's political seats, Mindanao remains accessible thanks to the airports located in its busiest cities. Davao is home to the largest flight hub in Mindanao, Francisco Bangoy International Airport, which is also known as Davao International Airport. This airport is the busiest on the island and is connected to Davao City via the Carlos P. Garcia National Highway. Other major airports in Mindanao include Bancasi Airport (Butuan) and Zamboanga City International Airport, which receive a constant flow of passengers due to their geographical locations.

The only inland airport of Mindanao with the capability for commercial flights is Central Mindanao Airport, formerly known as North Cotabato Rural Airport and also called M'lang Airport. It occupies 62 hectares of land with a 1.2-kilometre runway and a terminal building.

Other airports in Mindanao include Laguindingan Airport, Butuan Airport, Ozamis Airport, and General Santos Airport.

Davao International Airport

The airport is located in Davao City and began operations in the 1940s as the Sasa Landing Field. In 1958, the airport opened for civil aviation, and in 1960, it was renamed Francisco Bangoy Airport in honour of the late Don Francisco Bangoy, whose donation of land made the airport possible.

The airport has undergone several upgrades and expansions over the years, including the construction of a new terminal in 1980, which was designed by Filipino architect Leandro Locsin and had a capacity of one million passengers. In 2003, a new, larger terminal building was inaugurated, doubling the airport's capacity. The current terminal has a Malay-inspired architectural style and is four times larger than the old terminal, with 14 domestic and 14 international check-in counters.

The airport offers both domestic and international flights, with connections to major cities and towns in the Philippines, as well as international destinations such as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Various transportation options are available to and from the airport, including airport transfers, taxis, jeepneys, hotel shuttles, and ride-sharing services.

Francisco Bangoy International Airport

Mindanao is an island in the Philippines with Davao City as its main city. The island's main airport, Francisco Bangoy International Airport, is also known as Davao International Airport (IATA: DVO, ICAO: RPMD). It is the third busiest airport in the Philippines, serving as the primary entrance to Mindanao.

The airport's history began in the 1940s as the Sasa Landing Field, with a 1,200-meter (3,900 ft) unpaved grass runway and quonset huts serving as terminal buildings. Don Francisco Bangoy, the patriarch of an influential family that founded and settled in Davao, donated the land in barangay Sasa, located in Davao City's Buhangin district.

The Davao (Sasa) Airport was opened for civil aviation on August 25, 1958, with a new 1,500-meter (4,900 ft) long and 30-meter (98 ft) wide concrete runway. The complex included a small control tower and several low-rise buildings by 1959. On June 19, 1960, Republic Act No. 2762 renamed the airport to Francisco Bangoy Airport to honour Don Francisco Bangoy. The airport has undergone several upgrades and expansions since then, including runway extensions and the construction of a new terminal designed by Filipino architect Leandro Locsin, completed in 1980.

The airport currently has a single 3,000-meter (9,800 ft) precision runway that can accommodate all wide-bodied passenger aircraft, including the Airbus A380. The current passenger terminal, inspired by Malay architecture, is four times larger than the previous one. It is a two-level building with an area of approximately 65,000 square meters (700,000 sq ft) and is fully computerized, with enhanced security and more commercial spaces. The terminal has 14 domestic and 14 international check-in counters, two arrival areas, and a cargo terminal that can handle up to 84,600 tonnes of cargo annually.

The airport serves seven airlines and handles between three and four million passengers annually. It offers flights to 13 domestic destinations in the Philippines and one international destination, Singapore.

Laguindingan International Airport

Mindanao is an island in the Philippines with several airports, including the major Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City. Another major airport in Mindanao is Laguindingan International Airport, which serves the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Marawi, as well as the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, and Bukidnon.

Bancasi Airport

The airport is easily accessible via jeepneys, car rental services, ridesharing, and car-for-hire services such as LAX Shuttle and Magnum Express. The airport is also served by Route 2 multicabs from the city, with a fare of only PHP10.

In early March 2023, the Department of Transportation completed an expansion project, which included the construction of a new terminal building. This expansion increased the airport's capacity from 248 to 616 passengers and introduced improvements in architecture, plumbing, mechanics, ceilings, tile works, and paintings. The inauguration ceremony was attended by various officials, including CAAP Director Manuel Antonio Tamayo and Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto Cecilio Lim.

Zamboanga City International Airport

Zamboanga International Airport (IATA: ZAM, ICAO: RPMZ) is Mindanao's third-busiest airport, located on a 270-hectare site in Barangay Canelar, Zamboanga City. Despite being labelled as an international airport, it is officially considered a Class 1 principal domestic airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. The airport has one 2,610-metre primary runway capable of supporting the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. There are plans to extend the runway to 3,000 metres, allowing it to accommodate larger aircraft.

The airport has a modern control tower, a fire station with two fire trucks, and hangars on the southwest side of the terminal that are privately owned by charter and business airlines. The parking area can accommodate 110 vehicles. The terminal building has a capacity of 750 passengers in its pre-departure and arrival areas, with essential security features such as metal detectors and X-ray machines. The terminal also has two baggage carousels and push carts for passenger convenience.

The airport, with its runway lights, is capable of supporting night landings and 24-hour operations. The runway is currently shared with the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB), with military aircraft utilising the runway for landing and departure. The airport is also equipped with taxiways measuring 25 metres in width.

Zamboanga International Airport offers flights to Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Manila, and Tawi-Tawi.

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