Government urged to address NAIA congestion while traffic still low

MANILA, Philippines — The government should address congestion issues which have been hounding the country’s main international gateway for years now while passenger traffic remains low.

According to aviation think tank CAPA-Centre for Aviation, local authorities, the government, and the corporations involved need to retain their focus on improving and expanding airport infrastructure in the vital Manila market.

“Congestion has been a long-standing issue that needs to be addressed for the future of the airline and travel industries,” CAPA said.

“The loss of traffic from the pandemic gives some temporary relief to congestion and a good opportunity to tackle infrastructure issues, but congestion problems will undoubtedly return when demand bounces back,” it said.

Commuter group The Passenger Forum (TPF) said the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is urgently needed given that the gateway is operating beyond its capacity, which has resulted to passenger problems and inconveniences such as long lines, flight delays, and even the lack of resting areas.

TPF convenor Primo Morillo said now is the best time to rehabilitate NAIA while there is less air traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are hoping that the government will seize the opportunity now to minimize the inconvenience the repairs and rehabilitation works will cause the riding public,” he said.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier said the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), which currently manages and operates NAIA, would continue with its ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction program while unsolicited proposals from various private proponents are being negotiated.

Meanwhile, ongoing solutions outside Manila are in the works to help ease congestion at NAIA.

Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD), operator and manager of the Clark International Airport, is preparing for the operationalization of a new passenger terminal in the gateway this year.

The new terminal, which was constructed by Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR of India. , is a four-level structure with a total of 110,000 square meters of floor area and 18 aero bridges.

It houses both international and domestic terminals, and can handle eight million passengers in a year.

San Miguel Corp. (SMC)’s P740-billion Manila International Airport project in Bulacan, meanwhile, is set to start construction within the first quarter.

The Manila International Airport project will initially feature four parallel runways with a provision for two more, a world-class terminal, and an infrastructure network that will include a mass rail system to ensure easy connectivity. It will be capable of handling up to 100 million passengers per year.