IF PASSENGER numbers increase, more trips can be implemented, and bigger planes can be acquired, such as the ATR used by Cebu Pacific and the de Havilland Canada used by PAL.
A flight from Iloilo to Caticlan would be similar to a flight from Mactan in central Cebu to Bantayan Island in northern Cebu, which is now serviced as of January 2025, by de Havilland Canada planes of Leading Edge airlines.
It should be mentioned that the Mactan to Bantayan flights are always fully booked as of the present. Thus such an example definitely proves regular short flights can be done within a region or two adjacent islands or regions, and still be commercially viable.
Such a project can even be expanded to create flights from Iloilo Airport to nearby San Jose de Buenavista Antique, Bacolod City Negros, Sipalay City Negros, a tourist destination, Dumaguete City; and even to other nearby cities in the Visayas and Mindanao, such as Catbalogan City Samar, Butuan City CARAGA which has a substantial Ilonggo population, Siargao Surigao Norte (a major tourist destination), Ozamis City Misamis Occidental, Dipolog City Zamboanga del Norte, and so on; basically major nearby destinations not covered by Cebu Pacific, PAL, and other big private airlines.
In particular, it’s almost a cinch that the Iloilo to Bacolod–Silay International Airport flight route will succeed financially, as such flights can be expected to be fully booked, especially at night time or early dawn, when boats between Iloilo and Bacolod have ceased their runs. Profits go to the LGUs involved.
Even a single LGU, such as the Iloilo Provincial, Iloilo City, Capiz Provincial, Roxas City, Aklan provincial, or Kalibo City government, which has enough monetary resources can do all of the above. Both for the Panay railways extension to the Iloilo Airport to Sta. Barbara Municipality and Iloilo City, and the daily flights of an Iloilo – Aklan route.
In brief, we present to Iloilo, Aklan, and Capiz LGUs the following possibly economically feasible proposals for the good of Iloilo – Capiz – Aklan commuters and Panay tourism.
One, create a railway system funded by LGUs from Iloilo International Airport to Iloilo Seaport via the already extant old Sta Barbara station, with no need to complete a railway up to Capiz and Aklan. (Later on, such plans as a railway all the way to Aklan can be implemented if the initial Iloilo Airport to Seaport project succeeds.)
Two, create an airline company by LGUs of Iloilo. Aklan, and Capiz that has daily flights to and from Iloilo International Airport, to Caticlan Airport, with stopovers in Roxas Airport Capiz and Kalibo International Airport.
Later on, such a project can be expanded to create flights from Iloilo Airport to nearby San Jose de Buenavista Antique, Bacolod City Negros, Sipalay City Negros, a tourist destination, Dumaguete City; and even to other nearby cities in the Visayas and Mindanao, such as Catbalogan City Samar, Butuan City CARAGA which has a substantial Ilonggo population, Siargao Surigao Norte (a major tourist destination), Ozamis City Misamis Occidental, Dipolog City Zamboanga del Norte, and so on. Profits go to the LGUs involved./PN
