MANILA, Philippines— Travelers can now enjoy direct flights from Clark International Airport in Pampanga to Incheon, South Korea after its flagship carrier Korean Air launched its inaugural flight on Sunday.
Korean Air’s Flight KEO636 from Incheon was welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Regional Director Carolina Uy and LIPAD Corp. president and CEO Bi Yong Chungungco were present to welcome the arrival of the maiden flight.
Tugade, also the former president and CEO of Clark Development Corporation, was very pleased with Korean Air’s move and for believing that there is a market in Clark and in Central Luzon.
He said that with this development, Clark is now a center and a hub of passengers, movement of cargoes, not only in central Luzon but also in its surrounding areas.
Tugade recalled that he met with the executives of the three carriers of Korea: Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Jeju Air as well as the Korean ambassador in May before the official launch of this route.
“I’ll always be a staunch believer of Clark as a destination. I’ll always be a staunch believer of Clark, not only as a destination for passengers but also to be used as a logistics hub of Central Luzon,” Tugade said in his speech.
“We want the Clark International Airport to ‘LIPAD’ as high as it could, bringing in passengers as much as it can,” he also said.