<h2 class="blog-hed2 pb-lg-4 pb-3 text-lg-center">History Zamboanga International Airport</h2>
<p class="blog-para">The airport started off as Moret Field, an American airfield that was constructed from a rather poor Japanese airfield just north of Zamboanga.</p>
<p class="blog-para">SubsequentConstruction was started by Philippine Commonwealth troops just after American forces landed at the present location on March 15, 1945. It was improved by a U.S. Army airfield construction unit using considerable Filipino labor. When completed, the single runway was about 1,400 meters (4,500 ft) long aligned southwest to northeast. There were two adjacent taxiways along both sides of the runway with revetment areas. At the peak of operations in 1945, there were about 300 aircraft flying from the airfield. The vast majority were United States Marine Corps aircraft from Marine Aircraft Group 24 which were supporting U.S. Army Philippine Army infantry operations on Mindanao but also ranging down the Sulu area as far as Borneo. Subsequent improvements increased its capacity to hold flights. The airport used to service nearby international destinations in the past, such as Labuan and Sandakan in Malaysia via Philippine Airlines, Kota Kinabalu by Malaysia Airlines and Tarakan in Indonesia by Bouraq Airlines however, these international services were eventually cut.</p>
<p class="blog-para">On December 10, 2004, South Phoenix Airways announced their international flights to Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia, but it was eventually cut due to poor load of passengers. Likewise, Asian Spirit commenced service to Sandakan on May 2, 2007, restarting Zamboanga's international operations. The Zamboanga-Sandakan route and other international routes are expected to grow with the signing of a BIMP-EAGA open skies agreement, notably with Indonesia's Sriwijaya Air planning to fly the Zamboanga-Sandakan route.</p>
<p class="blog-para">Zamboanga International Airport, along with all other international airports in the Philippines, was placed under the control of the Manila International Airport Authority under Executive Order No. 341, signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on August 4, 2004. The changes in management were slated to take effect in June 2007.</p>
<p class="blog-para">Due to the US-RP Agreement, the US Air force used the airport while the Balikatan military exercises were held in the city. The biggest aircraft to land in Zamboanga International Airport is the Russian Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan made to deliver pickup trucks for the American training mission here in Zamboanga. North American Airlines Boeing 757-200s were chartered to transport American soldiers from Guam to Zamboanga. Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs flying from Okinawa come to Zamboanga every now and then. Gemini Air Cargo's DC-10 was once in Zamboanga Airport for delivery of the materials needed for the US Air Force training.</p>
<p><img class="img-fluid p-lg-0 rounded w-100" title="History Zamboanga International Airport" src="../../../main/img/airport/zambo/27.webp" alt="History Zamboanga International Airport"></p>
<h2 class="blog-hed2 pb-lg-4 pb-3 pt-5">Runways Zamboanga International Airport</h2>
<p class="blog-para">Zamboanga International Airport has one 2,610-meter (8,560 ft) primary runway with a width of 45 meters (148 ft), designated as Runway 09/27. It is capable of supporting the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320. The airport also has taxiways that measure 25 meters (82 ft) in width. While the runway can support aircraft as big as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 747, the airport lacks the necessary equipment to facilitate the landing of large aircraft. There are plans to extend the runway to 3,000 meters (9,800 ft), making it capable of receiving even bigger aircraft.</p>
<p class="blog-para">The airport, like all other international airports in the Philippines, has runway lights, which make it possible to support night landings. This makes 24-hour airport operations possible.</p>
<p class="blog-para">The runway is presently being shared between the airport and the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB). Military jets and aircraft land and depart on this runway. At the end of Runway 09 is the street to Barangay Sta. Maria, and a park. This can be a perfect spot to take pictures for departing and landing aircraft. At the end of the Runway 27 is San Roque St., which hosts a large public cemetery. Each end of the runway has aprons capable of supporting two Boeing 737s. One of the aprons in the end of Runway 09 is being used by the Philippine Air Force. OV-10s, C-130s, and other Air Force and military aircraft are parked there. While the apron at the end of Runway 27 is available, but need repairs.</p>
<p><img class="img-fluid p-lg-0 rounded w-100" title="Runways Zamboanga International Airport" src="../../../main/img/airport/zambo/28.webp" alt="Runways Zamboanga International Airport"></p>