General Santos International Airport 6.03

General Santos International Airport, is an alternate international airport located in the city of General Santos, Philippines serving the greater area of SOCCSKSARGEN . Situated in Prk New Hondagua,Barangay Fatima, the airport is the largest airport in the island of Mindanao and is officially classified an International Airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, a government bureau which is responsible in the management and operations of General Santos International Airport and all other airports in the country except regular international airports.Inaugurated on July 6, 1996 in time to serve the influx of visitors, athletes and participants coming in from different parts of the country who were taking part in the 42nd annual Palarong Pambansa that was held in South Cotabato, Sarangani and General Santos area at that time. Since then, the new airport immediately replaced the old and smaller Buayan Airport in Barangay Buayan, which is now converted into an air station for the use of The Philippine Air Force and renamed it "Rajah Buayan Air Station". Though new, wider and much modern, General Santos International Airport nevertheless retained its old IATA airport code from the old Buayan Airport.