Philippine Airlines said Wednesday it submitted a proposal to the Transportation Department to build a P20-billon new passenger terminal beside its current hub at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Centennial Terminal 2 to accommodate more passengers.
PAL president Jaime Bautista said the proposed terminal would be designed to handle 12 million to 15 million passengers a year and would have aerobridges capable of serving 12 to 17 wide-bodied and single aisle jets.
Bautista said construction of the new terminal was expected to start by December 2020 and would be operational by July 2021.
Transportation Undersecretary for aviation Manuel Antonio Tamayo said the agency already received the proposal.
“The documents are with us. We are just following government procedures whether it is considered as an unsolicited proposal or something because it is not a simple leasing of the property. There’s a plan to build a new terminal so we have those information and it was being processed,” Tamayo said.
“It’s feasible and we are open to it. It’s just we have to go through government procedures,” Tamayo said.
Bautista said Naia Terminal 2 which PAL had been using exclusively since 1999, now far exceeded its maximum capacity. Terminal 2 was originally built as a domestic airport terminal during the Ramos administration.
Naia’s four terminals are hosting 42 million passengers a year, 12 million or 40 percent more than their designed capacity of 30 million.
PAL said constructing a new, 89,000-square-meter air terminal north of Naia 2 would help decongest the airport and provide PAL passengers much-deserved space, amenities and modern conveniences.
The proposed annex building will rise on a 16-hectare area adjacent to Naia 2, encompassing the now-defunct Philippine Village Hotel, the former Nayong Pilipino complex and a property owned by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
Aside from the passenger terminal, the complex will include multi-level parking for 1,000 vehicles, a new cargo terminal and ground service facilities.
Bautista said PAL, which currently operates at Naia 1, Naia 2 and Naia 3 for some of its domestic flights, was keen on the annex building project to consolidate its operations and provide adequate room for its growing fleet of jets and international and domestic passengers.
From its current fleet of 87 wide-bodied and single aisle jets, PAL said it expected its aircraft count to reach 96 by 2021.
Bautista said PAL would need government’s full support, especially in securing crucial land leases from agencies like the Manila International Airport Authority and Pagcor.
“We also need government to continuously invest in building, developing, enhancing and upgrading airport infrastructure, not just for Naia but all throughout the country, as PAL and other airlines put up more flights and open new routes in our race for a thriving economic future,” he said.
