On Sunday, June 30, 2024, Philippine Airlines (PAL) operated its final flight to Loakan Airport in Baguio City, marking the end of scheduled commercial air service to the Summer Capital of the Philippines.
The last commercial flight, originating from Mactan-Cebu International Airport, touched down in Baguio at 10:44 AM. Passengers experienced the iconic approach, which offers a breathtaking view of downtown Baguio before executing a challenging landing.
Flight operations at Loakan Airport are renowned for their complexity due to the airport’s high altitude, surrounding mountainous terrain, and rapidly changing weather conditions. These factors have long made Baguio a uniquely challenging destination for pilots and airlines alike.
The final service was operated by RP-C5915, an 86-seat De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 aircraft.
After a brief turnaround, the aircraft departed Baguio for its return flight to Cebu at 11:14 AM.
PAL, which had been the sole operator of scheduled flights to Baguio, announced the suspension of its Cebu-Baguio route in May.
The decision was attributed to insufficient passenger demand between the two cities, despite the route’s relatively recent relaunch on December 16, 2022.
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