MIAA rationalizing flights, terminal use

MANILA, Philippines — Airport authorities are in the process of rationalizing domestic and international flights as well as the use of passenger terminals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), an official said yesterday.

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Ed Monreal told the House committee on transportation that they have started the rationalization program in compliance with a directive from Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Monreal said the program would entail the relocation of domestic and international flights, as well as airline offices, their staff, equipment and passengers.

He said the four terminals at the NAIA would be used for purposes for which they were built to maximize their use.

Monreal said Terminals 1 and 3 would be used for international flights. Terminals 2 and 4 (old domestic terminal) will be devoted to domestic flights.

He added that a terminal for international passengers features immigration counters and larger luggage carousels that a domestic terminal does not have.

Monreal pointed out that the rationalization program would require dominant domestic Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific to relocate numerous flights.

For instance, he said PAL’s international flights would have to move from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1, while Cebu Pacific’s domestic flights would have to transfer from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2.

PAL would continue to run domestic flights from Terminal 2, while Cebu Pacific’s international flights would remain at Terminal 3, Monreal said.

He said at least four foreign carriers would operate out of Terminal 1 while other international airlines would fly from Terminal 3.

“The 45-day deadline counted from Feb. 14, when it was given by the Speaker, is still a target. We will ask for an extension if we could not make it,” he said.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo asked Monreal to give the committee and the public a “categorical and honest assessment” if the affected airlines could make the necessary adjustments within the given timeline.

“Effectively, you now have only a month to relocate, since April 1 is the deadline. And Holy Week, when there is a deluge of passengers going home to the provinces or their vacation destinations, is fast approaching. If you say the 45-day deadline is still your target, you might be giving the public false hopes,” Castelo said.

Upon Castelo’s prodding, Monreal admitted the deadline “is difficult to meet.”

“Realistically, and as proposed by most foreign airlines, we will need at least six months,” he said.

Alvarez, who attended the hearing, later agreed to extend the deadline to six months.

Alexander Lao of Cebu Pacific said they would need one year to relocate their domestic flights from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2.

Lao said Terminal 2 would be congested if both PAL and Cebu Pacific would mount domestic flights from there.

“We have 17 million passengers, while the terminal could accommodate only nine million,” he said.