CARGO FLIGHT. A Philippine Airlines flight delivering Covid-19 vaccines for Negros Occidental and Bacolod City on Monday (July 19, 2021). Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Wednesday said the province is not keen on allowing more flights at Bacolod-Silay Airport amid the threat of the Covid-19 Delta variant. (Photo courtesy of CAAP Bacolod)
BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Wednesday said the province is not interested to allow more flights at Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City amid the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) Delta variant.
“The airlines are requesting, but I think right now, we should even be more careful because of the Delta variant,” Lacson said in an interview with Capitol reporters.
Delta variant, considered as more transmissible and more infectious, has been detected in Western Visayas, particularly in Antique, which is the first detected local transmission.
“We really don’t know how widespread that variant is now in the country. Most likely, we are not going to rush into allowing more flights,” Lacson added.
For July, the Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippines Air Asia have alternately landed at Bacolod-Silay Airport two to three times a week from Manila.
Inbound flights usually carry just cargoes while outbound trips are a combination of cargo and commercial flights.
PAL has flights on Sundays, Mondays, and Fridays; Cebu Pacific -- Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays; and Air Asia -- Sundays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
All three airlines also have flights from Mactan-Cebu and vice versa once a week either on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday. (PNA)
