Panamá Pacífico International Airport

Panamá Pacífico International Airport (IATA: BLB, ICAO: MPPA) is a commercial airport in Panama. It is located on the site of the former Howard Air Force Base, a United States Air Force base that was within the Panama Canal Zone.[4] Panama City can be reached by crossing the nearby Bridge of the Americas.

Panamá Pacífico International Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional Panamá Pacífico
Summary
Airport typePublic
ServesPanama Pacifico, Panama
LocationBalboa
Elevation AMSL52 ft / 16 m
Coordinates8°54′54″N 79°35′58″W
Map
BLB is located in Panama
BLB
BLB
Location in Panama
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
18/36 2,590 8,497 Asphalt
Statistics (2018)
Total Passengers259,491
Source: WAD[1] GCM[2] Google Maps[3]

Commercial airline service started in 2014, with Viva Air Colombia being the first to begin operations to Bogotá and Medellin.[5] The airport receives regular Boeing 737 jet aircraft from Wingo.

Facilities

The airport is 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Balboa, the port at the Pacific (southeastern) end of the Panama Canal. Most of the area around it is uninhabited and forms part of the Canal Zone watershed.

The runway has full instrument approach facilities.[6] The runway length does not include 300 metres (980 ft) displaced thresholds on each end. There is high terrain just northwest of the runway.

The Taboga Island VOR-DME (Ident: TBG) is located 8.0 nautical miles (14.8 km) south-southeast of the airport. The Taboga Island non-directional beacon (Ident: TBG) is located 7.9 nautical miles (14.6 km) south-southeast of the airport. The Tocumen VOR-DME (Ident: TUM) is located 14.4 nautical miles (27 km) northeast of the airport.[7][8][9]

History

Panama benefited from the closure of the air base. Some of the former military base is used to house call centers for technology companies like Dell Computer.

In February 2008, the production for the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace used the base to double for an airport in Bolivia.

The Panamanian National Air Show takes place at the airport every year, usually on the last Sunday of January.

Wingo started flights to Colombia in June 2017. [10] VivaColombia ceased flying there in May 2018, citing high taxes for operating at the airport. [11]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
Aeroregional Quito
Seasonal Charter: Loja, Machala
Wingo Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, Cartagena, David,[12] Havana, Medellín–JMC, San José (CR), Santo Domingo–Las Américas

See also

References
  1. "Airport information for Panamá Pacifico International Airport". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 2019-03-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Data current as of October 2006.
  2. Airport information for Panamá Pacifico International Airport at Great Circle Mapper.
  3. "Panama Pacifico Airport". Google Maps. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  4. Hilarski, Randy (April 9, 2013). "Howard Air Force Base has Been Transformed into Panama Pacifico". Panama Simple. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-08.
  5. "VivaColombia confirms Panama and Peru services and new base at Bogota in 2014". CAPA Center for Aviation. 2013-12-20. Retrieved 2015-04-08. Bogota-Panama City service
  6. MPPA approach procedures
  7. "Taboga Island NDB". Our Airports. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  8. "Taboga Island VOR". Our Airports. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  9. "Tocumen VOR". Our Airports. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  10. "Wingo to use fifth 737 for handful of cities from Panama Pacifico".
  11. "Viva Air".
  12. "Wingo Begins Domestic Panama Service From August 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
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