It happened – in Laguindingan

Less than one month after the opening of Laguindingan International Airport in Cagayan de Oro, the weather conditions made a Zest Air plane fly back to Manila last Sunday.

We already expected that flights will have to be re-routed or even return. Please read here 

Now it happened. A friend wrote us:

R. D. (23 hours ago near Las Piñas, Rizal via mobile)
Free plane ride – Just took Zest Air flight to Laguindingan piloted by an old colleague, Capt. Ignacio but the A320 failed to land due to heavy rains & the pilot can’t visually determine the runway. He decided to stay in the sky waiting to clear up but after 45 mins, decided to return to Manila.
The new Laguindingan airport has no navigation equipment & runway lights hence the pilots has to use his own vision & definitely can’t land at night! Even the road from the airport to CDO (35 kms) is undergoing widening creating traffic jam at Alubijid. These
are the main reasons why CDO businessmen are against the opening of the airport until the facilities are completed! Thanks to Capt.Ignacio who averted a possible mishap!

and

R. D. (8 hours ago near Cagayan de Oro, Philippines via mobile)
3 stages of execution – going back to CDO yesterday didn’t happen when plane can’t land. This early morning the plane went back to Manila due to technical problems. At about noontime, after change of plane, I finally landed in Laguindingan airport using a newer Air Asia plane (partner of Zest Air). So, the first was attempted,second, frustrated & the third, consummated, finally!

First ZEST!

But who will be next? And how many will return or divert until the navigation aids will be installed in Laguindingan?