Emirates, Delta to push through with NAIA 3 transfer next month

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign carriers led by Emirates and Delta Airlines are set to transfer to the Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA3) from the crowded NAIA Terminal 1 (NAIA1) next month.

Emirates said it is scheduled to move its operations to NAIA 3 on Aug. 15 with the first scheduled arrival and departure using the newest terminal of the country’s major international gateway.

“Please note Emirates will be moving operations from Terminal 1 to the new Terminal 3 in Manila on August 15. The EK 337 / 336 on August 15 will be our first arrival and departure,” Emirates said.

The Emirates airport office would relocate on the night of Aug. 14 to the new terminal building.

Emirates added that Dnata would continue to be the airline’s service provider.

On the other hand, Delta Airlines is likewise pushing through with the scheduled transfer to NAIA 3 from NAIA1 next month.

“We see no good reason this will not push through as scheduled,” said Delta Airlines director for Philippines, Australia, and Micronesia Steven Crowdey.

“Delta Air Lines is scheduled to move from NAIA1 to NAIA3 with the first arrivals on July 31st and the first departures on August 1st,” Crowdey said. 

Aside from Emirates and Delta Airlines, three foreign carriers including Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and KLM are set to transfer to NAIA3 once the P1.9 billion retrofitting and rehabilitation project being undertaken by Takenaka Corp. is completed.

This would increase the number of foreign airlines operating in NAIA3 to six as All Nippon Airways (ANA) is already operating in the terminal.

The rehabilitation works at NAIA3 include baggage handling, flight information displays, computer terminals, gate coordination, and fire protection systems, among others to allow a faster and more pleasant experience for passengers flying in and out of Manila