Zamboanga, PH 🇵🇭 Closed Airport
PH-0725
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- ft
PH-ZMC
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 6.92322° N, 122.03326° E
Continent: AS
Type: Closed Airport
Calarian Airfield (PH-0725) is not a public commercial airport, and therefore, there are no traveler reviews or experiences available for it. The following summary is based on recent traveler reviews and experiences at Zamboanga International Airport (ZAM), the main civilian airport serving Zamboanga City, Philippines. Overall traveler sentiment is mixed but generally positive, with many appreciating recent improvements and the airport's unique cultural aesthetic, though some areas still require further modernization.
Overall, Zamboanga International Airport offers a culturally rich and generally comfortable experience, particularly in its renovated departure areas and with its friendly staff. However, travelers should be prepared for potential crowding and ongoing renovations in the arrival and older sections, indicating that while improvements are being made, the airport is still catching up to larger, more modern facilities.
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The airfield was not closed on a specific date but was progressively redeveloped and expanded into the modern Zamboanga International Airport (RPMZ) starting after World War II. Its original identity as a smaller, simpler airfield, sometimes referred to as Calarian Airfield, effectively ceased as it was upgraded over several decades to meet modern aviation standards.
Redevelopment and Modernization. The original airfield was not shut down but rather transformed to handle the increasing demands of commercial air travel and military operations. It was replaced by a larger, more capable facility on the exact same site, evolving into the current Zamboanga International Airport and the co-located Edwin Andrews Air Base.
The site is currently occupied by the fully operational Zamboanga International Airport (IATA: ZAM, ICAO: RPMZ) and the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) of the Philippine Air Force. It is a busy, joint-use facility serving as the main civilian airport for the region while also being a critical forward operating base for the Philippine military. The ICAO code PH-0725 is an unofficial or outdated identifier; the official ICAO is RPMZ.
The site holds significant historical importance. It originated as 'Moret Field' during World War II, serving as a strategic airbase for the United States Army Air Forces in the Pacific theater. After the war, it was converted for civilian use and became the primary air gateway for Zamboanga City and the entire Western Mindanao region. For decades, it handled all major domestic passenger and cargo flights, connecting the peninsula to Manila and other key cities, playing a crucial role in the region's economy and transport network.
There are no prospects for 'reopening' the historical airfield as its successor, Zamboanga International Airport, is fully active on the same location. However, there are long-standing government plans to eventually relocate the entire airport to a new, larger site outside the city center (proposed locations include Barangay Mercedes). This is due to the current airport's limitations, such as a relatively short runway that cannot be extended due to surrounding urban development. If this relocation proceeds, the current site would be decommissioned and repurposed for other urban uses.