Air travel « Caught (up) in traffic

Aerial photos – reclamation projects in Manila Bay

June 23, 2025 9:35 pm / Leave a comment

Last week’s travel allowed me to take aerial photos of the reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Here are the photos:

The view as we lifted off from NAIA shows SM’s reclamation project across from the MOA complex.

Our plane then climbed and afforded this close-up of sorts of the reclamation across from the now closed Sofitel Hotel.

Past the largest of the three reclaimed lands is another man-made island.

As our plane turned left, we were able to see all three reclamation projects

A close-up of the reclamation across the MOA complex. Also in the photo is NAIA.

All three reclamations in one photo as we continued to turn towards the south and southeast (towards Bicol).

More aerial photos soon!

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Back in Bicol – arrival at Naga Airport

June 12, 2025 8:47 am / Leave a comment

I posted about the airports in Daraga/Legazpi City and Davao City as I knew I would be traveling to Naga City and likely by air. That likelihood became certainty as horror stories of 14-16 hour travel by bus became unacceptable for short trips where the travel times by road exceeded our actual stay in the city.

*I have not flew on a turboprop plane in about a decade. I think the last time was after Yolanda when we were involved in the planning and design of the new UP campus in Tacloban.*

*Approaching the airport, our plane had to maneuver around for the correct end of the runway for the landing.*

*The pilot had to make some sharp turns as we approached to land. Naga Airport’s runway is relatively short so there isn’t much room for error upon touchdown.*

*Our first view upon landing was a Mt. Isarog shrouded by clouds.*

Bicol International Airport Departure

May 31, 2025 11:55 am / Leave a comment

Before I go on another trip, here are photos I took of the Bicol International Airport prior to our departure from Daraga. We were just in time to check in for our flight back to Manila so I wasn’t really able to take as many photos as I usually did in other airports. I did take enough for a clear description of what to expect at this terminal.

Arriving at the airport terminal’s departure area

Check-in counters for Cebu Pacific

The terminal features a spacious check-in area.

The area is more spacious than other, more busy airports like Iloilo and Bacolod

I can imagine that even if there were more flights, queues will not result in the area being too crowded.

Another angle seen from the check-in area

The corridors are also spacious.

The terminal is well lit.

Entrance to the pre-departure lounge of the airport

I already wrote about and shared photos of the pre-departure lounge including the shops and eating options there. I look forward to visiting Legazpi City and its neighboring areas soon and perhaps get a clear photo of Mayon Volcano.

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Bicol International Airport – first impressions

February 22, 2025 8:48 am / Leave a comment

The Bicol International AirPort project started during the time of then Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The old airport could no longer be expanded or upgraded and was too close and oriented to Mayon Volcano, causing frequent disruptions to flights. The development was similar to Iloilo’s, Bacolod’s and Tagbilaran’s airports that had to be relocated to accommodate airport expansion including future phases of development. The airport was started construction during the time of Pres. PNoy and was completed in the term of Pres. Duterte.

*The airport features a modern passenger terminal.*

*Walking along the tube to the terminal*

*Spacious corridor at the gates for arriving passengers to walk to the baggage claim area*

*A peek inside the departure lounge shows a lot of eating and shop options*

*The baggage claim area before our luggage was offloaded*

*The area while our luggage were on the belt*

*Transport service providers at the terminal*

The airport is spacious and orderly. I’m not sure how the situation is when flights are more frequent and when there are international flights but perhaps the terminal can handle these at least over the foreseeable future.

Back in Bicol

February 21, 2025 9:52 am / Leave a comment

I have not been to Bicol since before the pandemic in 2020. But that was in Naga City in Camarines Sur to which I have been a few times. I have not been beyond Naga City since my early high school days. That was my last travel to my mother’s hometown in Gubat, Sorsogon. I think that was when we traveled on the occasion of my maternal grandfather’s passing.

We arrived at Legazpi City yesterday via the Bicol International Airport in nearby Daraga. I was looking forward to this trip as I also wanted to see the new airport and, of course, Mayon Volcano. Unfortunately, the weather is bad and so I currently have not seen the volcano even during the plane’s approach to the airport.

We landed to heavy rains at the Bicol International Airport

We waited a few minutes for the bridge to connect to our plane.

More on Bicol and Legazpi in future posts.

What’s new in Panglao Airport? -Part 1

October 1, 2024 2:59 pm / Leave a comment

We were in Panglao, Bohol last April and I was disappointed to see there were no shops after entering the pre departure area. Also, there were only 2 kiosks inside. One selling the usual siomai, hotdog and noodles kind of food and the other operated by a popular hotel/resort.

I am glad that this time, there are more shops and eating options after the final security check.

One of the previous kiosks now has a more formal place

More on these new shops and stalls in the next post.

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On the impact of more frequent lightning strikes on airports

September 16, 2024 3:24 pm / Leave a comment

We were waiting for our plane to arrive at the airport yesterday and can’t help but observe the heavy rains falling while a strong wind blows and causes the rains to fall at an angle. This renders umbrellas to be ineffective in keeping you dry if you’re outdoors. Such weather requires a long coat or even overalls to keep one dry on a very wet day. The rains and wind were brought about by a storm affecting the area. Though distant, the storm was able to influence the weather. Fortunately, there wasn’t any lightning and we wondered if lightning strikes have affected ground crew working in an open area that makes them vulnerable to lightning strikes. Here is an interesting article that describes the threat of lightning strikes particularly to people on the ground at airports.

King, R.E. (September 11, 2024) “Increasing Lightning Strikes from Stronger Storms Could Cripple Airports and Airbases,” Jalopnik, https://jalopnik.com/increasing-lightning-strikes-from-stronger-storms-could-1851645799 [Last accessed: 9/16/2024]

Quoting from the article:

“While flying planes are hardened to withstand lightning strikes, airports are typically a cluster of free-standing structures on a flat, open plot of land. The ongoing increase in lightning strikes caused by climate change is a direct danger to facilities and people on the ground.”

I wonder about similar data or statistics in the Philippines considering the long wet season we have that includes not just threats from typhoons but from seemingly small weather systems that may involve lightning strikes. I recall operations at NAIA were halted a few times when there were lightning storms. Is this phenomena. I wonder how many incidents at our airports have been reported and recorded pertaining to lightning.

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Aerial photos of Rizal

August 26, 2024 11:28 pm / Leave a comment

Following is a continuation of my recent post on aerial photos I took when I went to Iloilo for some meetings. This set is from our plane’s approach to land at NAIA. The path led us through Rizal province and the following photos mainly of Antipolo and Cainta.

*Aggregates quarry in Bgy. Inarawan, Antipolo City near Marcos Highway*

*A view of Cogeo with the City Mall of Antipolo and Antipolo National High School compound (center) along Olalia Road*

*Parish of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the residence of the Bishop of Antipolo.*

Ortigas Avenue Extension with Metro Manila in the horizon. The old PNR ROW along Gen. Ricarte is visible at the center. The landmark there is the Primark commercial center with the triangular roof in the middle of the photo.

A. Bonifacio Avenue in Cainta is in the middle of the photo. To the left of it is Parola Street, which is the old PNR ROW. The blue buildings to the left of Bonifacio are the buildings of the Cainta Catholic College. Slightly visible beside these is the Parish of Our Lady of the Light.

Cainta Junction with Felix Avenue (top) and A. Bonifacio Avenue (bottom) practically splitting the photo. The green building in the middle of the photo is the Puregold branch near Junction. Above it is Robinsons Cainta and the Cainta Public Market. Cainta Municipal Hall is at the lower left corner.

The Manggahan Floodway with the Javier Bridge connecting the East and West bank roads of the floodway. The bridge is located in Pasig City. The buildings at the lower part of the photo are of Cambridge Village in Cainta.

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Post Habagat Aerial Photos

August 12, 2024 10:38 pm / Leave a comment

We flew to Iloilo just after the Habagat floods that ravaged much of Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces. As our plane took off from Runway 13-31, I figured there was an opportunity to take a few photos of Metro Manila especially as I was seated by the window of the plane.

*That’s the LRT depot in Pasay City at the bottom of the photo. The waterway in the photo is the Estero de Tripa de Gallina, which is supposed to be the largest or longest creek in Metro Manila.*

*The Manila Yacht Club (center), the Cultural Center of the Philippines (to its right) and the US Embassy (upper left)*

Closer view of Manila – the major road in the middle of the photo is Quirino Avenue (Circumeferential Road 2) and visible in the photo is the Skyway Stage 3 turning to the South Superhighway. The green area just above the yacht club is the Manila Zoo.

*The photo shows Rizal Park, Manila Ocean Park, the Manila Hotel, the US Embassy, and Intramuros. That’s the Pasig River on the middle right snaking to the left and above Intramuros.*

The Manila South Harbor with the SuperFerry terminal to the left of the Manila Hotel. Rizal Park, Manila Ocean Park and Intramuros are in the photo. Across from Intramuros at the top in the photo is the Binondo District. Also shown at the left is the Baseco Compound.

Close-up showing the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge, the Jones Bridge (leading to Escolta and Quintin Paredes), and the McArthur Bridge (leading to Carriedo). Between the Jones and McArthur Bridges is the Manila Central Post Office Building that was heavily damaged by fire last year.

*Another view of Intramuros, Binondo and the Port Area*

Close-up of part of the Baseco Compound and the port area. The bridge at the center of the photo is the Manuel A. Roxas Bridge that is part of Radial Road 10. Fort Santiago is the green area to the right of the bridge.

Aerial view of the mouth of the Pasig River showing the Baseco compound to the right and the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) to the left. Note the contrast in the color of Manila bay and the brown waters of Pasig River. The Manila North Harbor is shown at the top of the photo.

The MICT, the Manila North Harbor and Isla Puting Bato (extending to the top from the base of MICT in the photo). Note the piers of the North Harbor are even-numbered (Pier 2, 4, 6, and so on) while the South Harbor’s piers are odd-numbered (1, 3, 5, and so on).

Isla Puting Bato was developed into another container terminal and is where the Bureau of Customs has its Port District Office. Also seen in the photo is the Manila Harbor Center, to the north of which is the Navotas Fish Port. I was hoping to get a photo of the fish port but our plane already banked to the left before I could get a good shot.

More aerial photos to be posted here soon!

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Back in Iloilo

July 27, 2024 2:42 pm / Leave a comment

I’m finally back in Iloilo after a very long while. It’s a quick visit so I won’t be able to go to our ancestral home in Cabatuan. The visit to the city though will still be a sentimental one and perhaps update me on the developments there.

Cabatuan town as seen from our plane as we made our final approach to the airport.

We arrived on board a Cebu Pacific Airbus A321 Neo.

I will be posting on this trip soon as I plan to take photos of the bike facilities along the Diversion Road and walk along the Esplanade.

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Caught (up) in traffic

Category Archives: Air travel