New NAIA terminal assignments underway

MANILA, Philippines — The incoming operator of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) plans to reorganize the terminal assignment of domestic and foreign carriers to improve runway efficiency and minimize flight delays.

The decongestion of the runway has been a top of mind concern for the San Miguel Corp.-led New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. once it starts running the gateway next month.

SMC president and CEO Ramon Ang said the consortium would reorganize the terminal assignment of airlines to properly schedule the movement of aircraft in NAIA.

Ang said he wants to avoid instances when a terminal is parking several wide-bodies all at once, as these aircraft tend to require larger space for boarding, taxiing and takeoff. He said the reshuffling of terminal assignments could hasten turnaround time in NAIA by 30 percent.

In the process, this reassignment could mean faster boarding and less delays for passengers in an airport notorious for falling behind schedule. Ang said the concessionaire would implement the reform before Nov. 1, just in time for the travel surge during the Undas break.

NAIA has undergone a similar process of terminal reorganization under the Schedule and Terminal assignments Rationalization, which resulted in Terminal 2 reverting to its original purpose of being a domestic gateway.

Ang said the consortium is also pursuing the construction of a P5 billion connector between the NAIA Expressway and Terminal 3.

The concessionaire hopes to complete that project within a year, expecting it will decongest the vehicle traffic going to and from the largest terminal in NAIA.

The consortium is also looking at the possibility of slapping penalties on vehicles staying longer than needed in the departure and arrival bays. Ang said a number of taxis tend to overstay in the curbside to fetch possible passengers, causing traffic buildup in the airport.

On top of this, parking fees in NAIA may also be hiked once it is under private control. This is to force out condominium owners who reportedly leave their cars in the airport, as it costs cheaper than getting a parking space in their building.

The consortium led by SMC and backed by South Korea’s Incheon International Airport Corp. will manage NAIA for 15 years – extendable by 10 years – starting Sept. 14 under the agreement signed with the government.

As part of the P170.6 billion rehabilitation, the concessionaire has to increase airport capacity and aircraft movement.