Davao International Airport
The Davao International Airport, formerly known as Francisco Bangoy International Airport, is Mindanao's international gateway to countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Indonesia; and to the rest of the Philippines: Cebu, Zamboanga, and Manila. It is the busiest airport in Mindanao.
The Malay architecture-inspired terminal building costs P1 billion.
The $128 million state-of-the-art international airport can handle approximately 2 million passengers annually, and 84,600 tons of cargo annually. The airport's new Malay architecture-inspired terminal building costs P1 billion, and is four times bigger than the old airport terminal. It is highly computerized, more secure, and has more commercial spaces ( approximately 9,000 sq. m ) for its concessionaires. The terminal has 14 domestic and international counters that can handle a steady flow of passenger traffic. It is equipped with the latest navigational, security, and baggage handling equipments. The Check-In counters have electronic weighing scales, conveyors, and its baggage handling system is also highly computerized. It has four units of boarding bridges for passengers, where baggage are regularly screened three times prior to passenger boarding. A Flight Information Display System, and a Closed Circuit Television System complement the terminal's security system.
The 209-hectare airport was constructed in four years’ time, and was officially inaugurated and opened to the public on December 2, 2003. The airport has a single 3,000-meter precision runway that can accommodate wide-body aircraft. The Landing Instrumentation System (ILS) for its Runways 05 and 23 is compliant to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) operating category - Precision Approach Category 1. It can accommodate 8 to 10 aircraft landings per hour, and has 8 gate holding areas for aircraft.
The upgraded airport was funded through a loan from the Asian Development Bank in 1994, which provided $41 million, while the European Investment Bank provided $23 million. The original cost of the project was $105 million but due to foreign exchange escalation costs, the Asian financial crisis, and land acquisition costs, total cost of the Project amounted to $128 million.
The airport's Air Traffic Control Tower is considered as one of the most sophisticated in the Philippines. Besides the main terminal building, there are also support facilities: Administration Building, the Central Plant Building, Airfield Maintenance Building, and Fire, Crash and Rescue Building. The facilities have a 688-slot car parking space, and 4 slots for shuttle buses. It has a 3-megawatt standby power generator. There are also 2 Mabuhay lounges of Philippine Airlines inside the airport premises.
The old airport
History
The old Francisco Bangoy International Airport began its operations in the 1940s, and were in use until 2003. The land in which the airport is situated ( Barangay Sasa, Buhangin district of Davao City ), was donated by Francisco Bangoy, a patriarch of an influential family residing in the city. At the time it began its operations, the airport merely consisted of a 1,200-meter unpaved, grassy runway and Quonset huts serving as terminal buildings. And throughout much of the 1940s and 1950s, both Philippine Airlines and the Philippine Air Force provided air service to the city.
Another photograph of the airport
By 1959, the terminal consisted of a small control tower and several low-rise buildings. Later, a new terminal which was designed by renowned Filipino architect Leandro Locsin, was constructed in 1980, with a capacity of one million passengers, and the runway was progressively extended from its original length of 1,200 meters to its current 3,000 meters. Both projects were funded during the term of then Congressman Manuel Garcia, whose congressional district covered the entire airport perimeter.
The rapid growth of the airport precipitated the construction of a P15 million interim international terminal beside the airport's then-existing terminal, and then eventually a new, larger terminal building which would consolidate the two existing terminals. In planning since 1992, construction of the new Davao International Airport began in 2000, and was subsequently inaugurated on December 2, 2003, with a capacity double than that of the old airport terminal.
The airport's Air Traffic Control Tower
is considered as one of the most sophisticated in the Philippines.
The airport has a single 3,000-meter precision runway
that can accommodate wide-body aircraft.
The runway at night
Bird's eye-view of the 209-hectare airport
Bird's eye-view of the airport's runway
The airport can accommodate wide-bodied aircraft,
and depending on size, the runway can accommodate 8 to 10 aircraft landings per hour.
The terminal has four units of these boarding bridges for passengers.
The $128 million state-of-the-art international airport
can handle approximately 2 million passengers annually.
And can handle 84,600 tons of cargo annually.
The terminal has approximately 9,000 sq. m of commercial spaces
for its concessionaires.
The terminal has 14 domestic and international counters
that can handle a steady flow of passenger traffic.
It is equipped with the latest navigational, security,
and baggage handling equipments.
Leading to the Departure Area
Baggage Check-In Counters
Banner of Cebu Pacific
Airbus A320
The Pre-Departure Holding Area
One section of the Pre-Departure Holding Area
Main Departure Lounge
Door to the VIP Lounge
Mabuhay Lounge
Other side of the Mabuhay Lounge
Below are the four major Philippine domestic airline carriers serviced by the airport:
Philippine Airlines
( The country's flag carrier )
( The country's flag carrier )
Philippine Airlines
PNB Financial Center
Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Avenue
CCP Complex, Pasay City
Email webmgr@pal.com.ph
Philippine Airline Official Homepage www.philippineairlines.com
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) location
NAIA 1 - Ninoy Aquino Avenue, Pasay City
NAIA Centennial Terminal 2 - MIA Road, Pasay City
NAIA 3 - Andrews Avenue, Pasay City
Reservations
Manila, Philippines (24 hours)
Tel (632) 855-8888
Flight Information/Tours and Packages
(632) 855-8888
Mabuhay Miles Service Center
2/F Power Realty Building (Across Anson's Building)
1012 A. Arnaiz (Formerly Pasay Road)
1223 Makati City
Email mabuhaymiles@pal.com.ph
Mabuhay Miles Call Center
Tel Manila - (632) 855-8888
Fax (632) 556-2800
Baggage Tracing Services
Mezzanine Level, South Wing
NAIA Centennial Terminal 2
Old Mia Road, Pasay City 1300
Tel (632) 851-3011 and 832-2939
Fax (632) 879-6028
Email baggage_tracing@pal.com.ph
Cargo Reservations
Manila, Philippines
Tel (632) 831-3061 and 832-3059
Fax (632) 832-3063
Corporate Sales
3rd Floor, PAL Learning Center
540 Padre Faura Corner Adriatico
Ermita, Manila
Tel (632) 855-8555
Fax (632) 522-1965
Email pr_corporate@pal.com.ph
Customer Relations
3F Mezzanine PNB Financial Center
Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Avenue
CCP Complex, Pasay City
Tel (632) 777-5939
Fax (632) 777-5928
Email wecare@pal.com.ph
Air Philippines
Davao Ticket Office
Filipino-Japanese Friendship Highway
Davao International Airport
Diversion Road, Buhangin, Davao City
Tel (082) 234-2759 and (082) 234-2969
Air Philippines Official Homepage www.airphilexpress.com
Head Office
R1 Hangar, APC Gate 1
Andrews Avenue, Nichols, Pasay City
Tel (02) 851-7601
Reservations
Manila Tel (02) 855-9000
Cebu Tel (032) 505-1616
Email: reservations@airphilexpress.com
Domestic Airport Ticket Office
Domestic Airport, Airport Road, Pasay City
Tel (02) 851-2180
Fax (02) 551-7881
Makati Ticket Office
Charter House, 114 Legaspi Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City
Tel (02) 892-1459
Fax (02) 892-2071
NAIA Terminal 3 Ticket Office
Level 3, Departure Area, Andrews Avenue, Nichols, Pasay City
Tel (02) 469-9535 and (082) 386-2235
Cebu Pacific
Airline Operations Center Building
Manila Domestic Airport Complex
Old Domestic Road, Pasay City
Philippines 1301
Tel +63-2-70-20-888
Cebu Pacific Official Homepage www.cebupacificair.com
Zest Air Davao Sales
Door 7 and 8 JM Building
Governor Sales St., Davao City
Tel (082) 222-4281 and (082) 222-4452
Fax (082) 224-2597
Zest Air Official Homepage www.zestair.com.ph
HI I saw your blog in travel blogroll badge . glad you're also blogging about... I ablog about davao too in fact taga davao ko.. you might want to exchange link with me and visit my blog too ... ;)
ReplyDeleteHello Vernz, I just visited your blog and added you to my roaster of links as you requested. It is surely nice to know of a fellow blogger like you who is very passionate about Davao City. I started this blog only last April 2011, and I'm trying to get my blog as much exposure as I can with a view in mind of letting the whole world know about Davao City and its people. Thank you for your comments, and I hope you will drop-in again for fresh posts and updates.
ReplyDeleteHello! I have a scheduled trip to Davao this December. When I got the chance to glance upon your website link after searching about Davao City in Google - I took no second thoughts of viewing and reading all of your articles since last year! Thank you for doing this wonderful and very informative blog about Davao and its nearby places. Your blog has increased my excitement in visiting the city! I am from Manila, by the way, and I love doing solo travelling. Nice 'meeting' you sir through your blog! More power and Godbless -Marc
ReplyDeleteHi, Marc DC. Thank you for your very nice comments. Davao City has progressed much over the years in view of the strong, dynamic, and benevolent leadership of the Dutertes and unwavering support of the local government and its constituents. From the "Murder Capital of the Philippines," just two decades ago, Davao City now holds the distinction as one of the safest and livable cities not only in Asia but in the entire world as well. Peace and order, economic stability and sustainability of growth are among the primary components investors are considering prior to making substantial investments in a certain place. The number of tourists, foreign and domestic alike who are visiting the city is overwhelming. The last two decades have seen a tremendous increase in the number of hotels, convention centers, shopping malls, resorts, restaurants, cafes being erected in the city. Davao City is the 5th richest city outside of Metro Manila, next to Makati, Manila, Quezon City and Pasig. You will see all these when you visit Davao City on December. I hope you will drop-in again for fresh posts and updates.
ReplyDeleteDavao is one of the innovative place now in the Philippines. I visited Davao once and I find it really a nice place to visit. We are planning to make our team building there and I am pretty sure that this going to be a great and unforgettable experience. I am glad that I visited your worth reading post. Big thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi, can I use some of the photos from these article for my airport review of Davao? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi, Ian. By all means, please feel free to use any of the materials contained in this post as you deem useful for your airport review. good luck.
DeleteHello! Matanong ko lang po kung ano yung mga restricted items na hinohold sa terminal?
ReplyDeleteis Davao city have custom?
ReplyDeleteThe terminal has 14 domestic and international counters that can handle a steady flow of passenger traffic. It is equipped with the latest navigational, security, and baggage handling equipments. private jet charter
ReplyDelete