The Philippine government is planning to build another passenger terminal at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The Terminal 5 project is believed to help minimize congestion at the four overused existing terminals.
“We are pushing through with NAIA Terminal 5, but we haven’t decided on the structure of the project yet,” Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya told the BusinessMirror in a text message.
The new terminal is planned to be constructed near Terminal 3.
Currently, NAIA Terminal 3 is undergoing rehabilitation to provide a better experience for passengers transiting through Manila. There have been recent reports of passengers fainting due to the ‘desert-like’ heat at NAIA.
On the other hand, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) chief Ramon Ang said the company plans to build another runway and a huge international airport that can supposedly surpass Changi and Hong Kong airports.
The proposed runway will be constructed beside Runway 06-24, with dimensions of 2,100m x 60m, long enough for single-aisle aircraft like the Airbus A320-200 to take off and land.
Ang’s planned airport will be equipped with four runways capable of accommodating the Airbus A380.
Lance Gokongwei, Cebu Pacific’s chief, revealed he is considering partnering with SMC for the construction of the proposed brand-new airport.
To facilitate the full rehabilitation of Terminal 1, five international carriers have chosen to transfer to the relatively new Terminal 3.
Both terminals are currently undergoing renovations.
Starting August this year, KLM, Delta, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific will fully shift their operations to Terminal 3.
The Terminal 3 renovation includes improvements in baggage handling, flight information displays, computer terminals, gate coordination, fire protection systems, and other areas to allow for a faster and more pleasant passenger experience at NAIA.
Leave a comment