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| Loakan Airport | |
|---|---|
| Name | Loakan Airport |
| Nativename | Baguio Airport |
| Iata | BAG |
| Icao | RPUO |
| Type | Public / Military |
| Operator | Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines |
| City served | Baguio |
| Location | Loakan, Benguet, Philippines |
| Elevation ft | 4,347 |
| Runway | 09/27 |
| R1 length ft | 4,593 |
| R1 surface | Asphalt |
Loakan Airport Loakan Airport is an airport serving the city of Baguio, in the province of Benguet on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It sits in the barangay of Loakan at a high elevation on the Cordillera mountain range and functions as a regional airfield with historical links to civil aviation, military operations, and provincial administration. The facility has limited commercial service due to terrain and weather constraints, and it is administered by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
Loakan Airport was established during the Commonwealth of the Philippines period and expanded during the post-World War II era to serve tourism to Baguio Botanical Garden, Wright Park, and the Burnham Park district. During World War II operations in the Philippine campaign (1944–45), the airstrip and surrounding highlands saw activity involving United States Army Air Forces and Imperial Japanese Army units, and later Cold War-era interactions with United States Armed Forces. In the late 20th century, carriers such as Philippine Airlines and regional operators like Cebu Pacific intermittently served Loakan as part of expanding domestic networks that connected to Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport. The airport's operations were affected by the Mount Pinatubo eruption regionally and by evolving civil aviation policies under the Department of Transportation (Philippines) and infrastructure plans championed by the Philippine Development Plan.
Loakan features a single asphalt runway (09/27) of limited length, a passenger terminal building, and apron space sized for turboprops such as the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and smaller regional jets. Navigational support is constrained by surrounding topography of the Cordillera and meteorological conditions influenced by the Northeast Monsoon and tropical cyclone activity in the Philippine Sea. Air traffic control services coordinate with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Philippine Air Force when military movements occur. Ground facilities include fire and rescue units compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization standards overseen by the Airport Council International guidelines, while maintenance operations have been supported by companies linked to the Philippine Aircraft Maintenance Suppliers sector.
Commercial airline service at Loakan has historically been intermittent. Scheduled flights have been operated by carriers including Philippine Airlines and regional outfits such as Air Philippines and charter operators serving leisure travelers to Baguio City attractions and provincial passengers bound for Manila and other domestic gateways. Seasonal and charter services have connected to Ninoy Aquino International Airport and, at times, to Clark International Airport and Mactan–Cebu International Airport via wet-lease arrangements with smaller aircraft types like the ATR 42 and the Let L-410 Turbolet.
The airport's challenging approach and weather patterns have contributed to several aviation incidents. Notable events involved turboprop aircraft and helicopters operating in poor visibility, with emergency responses coordinated by local agencies including the Philippine Red Cross and regional disaster management units under the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Investigations into incidents have been conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and have cited factors such as terrain-induced downdrafts, low cloud ceilings associated with Monsoon, and operational limitations of older airframes.
Loakan has been used as a forward operating location by the Philippine Air Force for transport and training sorties, and it has hosted joint exercises involving personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and partner nations during bilateral engagements. The site has also accommodated humanitarian airlift operations coordinated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Office of Civil Defense during typhoon and landslide responses in the Cordillera region. Government delegations to provincial offices and visits by officials from the Presidential Communications Office have utilized Loakan for access to Baguio.
Ground access to the airport connects via the Kennon Road and the Aspiras–Palispis Highway (formerly Marcos Highway), linking to central Baguio City and intercity bus routes serving La Trinidad, Benguet and the Mountain Province. Provincial transport services, taxis, and ride-hailing arrangements provide last-mile connectivity to attractions such as Camp John Hay and the Baguio Cathedral. Road travel times vary with seasonal traffic influenced by holiday peaks associated with Panagbenga Festival events and the summer influx from Metro Manila.
Category:Airports in the Philippines Category:Buildings and structures in Baguio