New NAIA terminal eyed at Nayon site

MANILA, Philippines — A new passenger terminal will rise at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in three years, as part of the project of the new concessionaire led by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) to expand the country’s premier gateway to accommodate the growing demand for air travel.

SMC president and CEO Ramon Ang said the project would enable Filipinos to feel the benefits of privatizing NAIA as early as possible.

The New NAIA Infrastructure Corp., headed by SMC, will put up the new building near Terminals 1 and 2.

Ang said the new terminal would be built on the site of the abandoned Philippine Village Hotel within the Nayong Pilipino complex. The terminal would have at least 50 concourses which, after completion, would significantly push up the capacity of the airport in handling flights and passengers.

Ang said the concessionaire has to secure approval of the Department of Transportation and Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) before it can proceed with the construction.

The concessionaire will also put up a multipurpose building to serve as the relocation site for airport regulators housed inside the terminals.

By moving them to another location, Ang hopes to clear up to 30 percent of space at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 that can be used to accommodate passengers.

The building would also have parking spaces for as many as 9,000 vehicles.

Ang said concessionaire would resolve the vehicle congestion at NAIA by as early as next year.

The operator will develop a direct access road from NAIA Expressway (NAIA-X) to Terminal 3 to improve the traffic flow within and around the airport.

The goal is to enable motorists to go in and out of NAIA within a 10-minute timeframe. SMC holds the concession for the Skyway System and NAIA-X, both of which are linked to NAIA.

Ang also bared plans to employ a digital system similar to the one being used in India, where travelers can scan their faces at home to speed up their pre-departure transactions at the airport.

Although tasked to change NAIA for the better, Ang said the concessionaire would preserve some elements at the airport. He also stressed he has no intention of renaming NAIA back to Manila International