The Clark International Airport (CRK) is the first airport in the country to have been ISO-certified after passing a quality management system audit conducted by TUV Rheinland.
TUV Rheinland, which established the pioneering international certification body in the Philippines in 1991 based on various international standards, migrated―or upgraded―CIAC from its previous ISO 9001:2008 to the new ISO 9001:2015, making it the only airport in the country to be awarded the certification.
The Clark airport passed the audit with no non-conformities in its internal processes and management system.
The six-member TUV Rheinland audit team also found eight positive findings and 12 opportunities for improvement.
The audit team also recommended the awarding of the new ISO 9001:2015 called the Certificate for the International and Domestic Passenger Facilitation Process and All Internal Operating Processes of CIAC.
ISO 9001 quality management system ensures that products and services provided are of consistent quality and meet the customer’s requirements in compliance with the law and legislation, and also ensures streamlining of business processes and continuous improvement.
ISO 9001 is the world’s most popular and most commonly used standard for quality management systems. CIAC had previously been ISO 9001:2008 certified but had upgraded to the latest ISO 9001:2015 standard by adopting a risk management approach.
Vina May Manalili of the CIAC Quality Office said that a standard reflects the level of professionalism while a quality management system is a tool an organization uses to determine how it can meet customers’ as well as other parties’ requirements involved in its activities.
ISO 9001-certified companies helps increase customer satisfaction and provides companies apositive image in compliance with internationally recognized quality standards, Manalili added.
Meanwhile, Air Asia will launch thrice weekly Clark-Kalibo flights starting March 27, 2017 and four times weekly flights to and from Davao by April 22, boosting CRK’s passenger traffic.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) operates domestic flights from CRK to Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, as well as international flights via Incheon in South Korea. The flag carrier will start servicing a Palawan route via Puerto Princesa and Busuanga this March 26.
The CRK hosts other airlines, such as Emirates Airlines via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, Asiana Airlines via Incheon, Jin Air via Incheon and Busan, Cebu Pacific Air via Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and domestic flights to Cebu, along with Cathay Dragon via Hong Kong and Tiger Air via Singapore.
International cargo service giants FedEx and UPS likewise mount a weekly average of 23 international and domestic cargo flights at CRK.