Parallel NAIA runway needs further study, says Hotchkiss

MANILA, Philippines - The construction of a third runway at Manila’s main international airport may not be taking off soon.

The parallel runway, a project seen to ease air traffic congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), is currently on hold and is still subject to further studies, said Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) director general William Hotchkiss III.

As such, Hotchkiss said the project is unlikely to be completed before President Benigno Aquino’s term ends in 2016 as previously targeted.

“I don’t think it is feasible to finish it under the current administration. Of course, it can be started but you will have to identify funds for that because it cannot be offered for PPP (public-private partnership) because it does not have an income stream,” the CAAP chief said.

The third runway was earlier eyed for completion before President Aquino steps down in 2016. The CAAP was tasked to look at the technical feasibility for the planned new runway. 

The proposed 2.1-kilometer parallel runway would be built south of the existing primary runway 06/24 within the 400-hectare NAIA complex in Pasay City.

The construction of a parallel runway at NAIA is seen to boost the airport’s capacity to 60 aircraft movements per hour from 40 at present.

However, the new runway will affect the existing radar system of the airport as well as the adjacent Circumferential Road 5 (C5) extension.

“We are restudying that (the third runway project) because first, the radar, we have to relocate that and that’s going to cost money. There’s the C5 road as well which will be impacted upon, and we may have to re-engineer C5 itself so that will cost money as well,” Hotchkiss said.

Built in 1981, NAIA has two intersecting runways namely the primary runway 06/24 and the secondary runway 13/31.

The CAAP has earlier said airlines are losing at least P7 billion a year in fuel and in engine maintenance costs because of the air traffic congestion in NAIA.

To ease the congestion, Hotchkiss said CAAP is also studying other options like construction of a new terminal in the airport aside from the construction of the third runway.

“I think it’s more of terminal ramp capacity that we need. Our ramps are already filled with airplanes so probably we have to do some more ramps and passenger capacity. We in CAAP from a technical point of view, we’re restudying that,” Hotchkiss said.