Northwest invests in NAIA-3 facilities

US carrier Northwest Airlines Corp. (Northwest Airlines) has invested millions of dollars in the new Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 facilities despite the slumping Asia Pacific market and the negligible growth of the Philippine market.

"We are very interested in the opening of Terminal 3," Robert D. Isom, Northwest Airlines vice president/international, said in an interview. "We will be building a brand new facility which we will be using as a prototype for the rest of our systems."

Isom addded that their "sizeable investments" would include the deployment of two Boeing 747 aircraft and a new business lounge.

"You are talking about much bigger investments rather than a couple of million of dollars. We are making huge investment there with a sizeable employee base of 200 and the long partnership with the Inter-Pacific Trade Inc. group which complements our other activities," Isom added.

Meanwhile, the US-based international air carrier said it has benefited from its alliances with several domestic carriers. In the US domestic market, Northwest has already forged a cooperative marketing alliance with Continental Air and Delta Air.

It forged the first-ever global joint service, twice-weekly flights with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in 1991.

In the Philippines, Northwest has linked flight plans with Cebu Pacific of JG Summit. The alliance has resulted in better international to domestic passenger and freight traffic, particularly from the southern Philippines.

Northwest Airlines Philippines general manager Rafael M. Nishihira revealed that the waiting time for passengers going to the southern Philippines via Manila from its international flights can be linked directly to the Cebu Pacific flights without waiting time.

"Cebu Pacific and Northwest Airlines have adjusted flight plans so passengers won’t wait in Manila going to and coming from the southern Philippines," Nishihira stressed.

Starting Dec. 15 this year, Northwest Airlines will add two more flights to accommodate the balikbayan traffic, which should bring its Philippine regular flights to 16 flights every week.

Northwest will be launching in the first quarter next year its Internet check-in service for the Asian market going to the US and Europe. The service was first introduced in August. The Internet check-in service allows passengers from the US to check in up to 30 hours prior to departure.

Northwest Airlines launched last month an Internet site that provides travel agents with free and unrestricted acccess to the carrier’s special websites, simplified reporting, online integrated reporting, and complete online booking services.

Meanwhile, the US-based air carrier said its net loss reached $46 million at the end of the third quarter this year, or a complete reversal from the $19-million profit in the same period in 2001.

The airline received a $158-million after-tax grant from the Federal government under the Airline Stabilization Act and another $39 million in after-tax non-recurring charges related to aircraft write-downs and severance costs.

In August this year, it completed a $749-million secured aircraft bond financing from the capital markets to finance future aircrafft deliveries.