Dipolog Airport guide

Dipolog Airport (ICAO RPMG) is the main airport of Zamboanga del Norte province on the northwest coast of Mindanao. The runway runs parallel to the shoreline, and its southern end sits near the mouth of the Dipolog River. The airport lies a short tricycle ride from the city centre.

The field opened in October 1941 as a 600-metre macadam airstrip. It was damaged in the Second World War and rebuilt with US Marine Corps engineers in 1945. It was restored in 1947 with a longer runway and a new terminal, and Philippine Airlines began scheduled service in 1952 with a Douglas DC-3. A control tower followed in 1991. In 1992 the runway was extended by 500 metres, which allowed the first mid-size jet, a PAL Boeing 737-300, to land.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines classes it as a Class 1 principal (major domestic) airport. Flights connect Dipolog with Manila and Cebu. The apron holds two Airbus A320s and three large general aviation aircraft at once, and a Category V fire station with four trucks is on site. A Heroes' Lounge serves uniformed personnel and their families.