The Manila International Airport Authority on Wednesday announced that it will construct new boarding bridges at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Terminal 1 to further improve its service and for the safety and convenience of air travelers.
“Naia 1 passengers will soon be treated to more modern aerobridges as they disembark or board their flights,” said MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal.
Monreal said his agency has embarked on a project to replace the decades-old passenger boarding bridges with new ones. He added the project entails the design manufacturing, factory testing, delivery and installation of new and customized units of apron-type and pedestal-type boarding bridges.
Phase 1 of the project consists of replacement of nine units while Phase 2 includes the construction of 11 boarding bridges. The first phase is now being implemented with a project cost of about P319 million.
The actual replacement commenced this week and is expected to be completed on or before December this year.
Phase 2, on the other hand, is due for bidding with actual implementation expected to commence by the first quarter of 2019.
The passenger boarding bridge connects the airport walkway directly to the aircraft. It provides ease and convenience to passengers and protects them from both hot and humid or inclement weather.
From steel walls, the new aerobridges are made of the glass wall. The units are also airconditioned and are equipped with closed-circuit television camera with a view of the apron. The bridges are also designed with a programmable motor controller and are GPU (ground power unit) ready.
The bridges being replaced have been in operation for 33 years and are now out-dated rendering them unreliable with incidents of breakdown occurring from time to time.
MIAA records showed that Shinmaywa Industries Inc. supplied the 20 aerobridges in the late 1970s when Naia Terminal 1 was under construction. The units were the first of its kind in the Philippines back then.
Shenzhen CIMC-Tianda Airport Support Ltd (CIMC-TIanDa) is supplying the new aerobridges for Naia. The company’s core business is airport support equipment, among others.
To date, the firm has supplied over 4000 units of passenger boarding bridges in 200 airports worldwide exporting to more than 60 countries since it began manufacturing boarding bridges in 1989.
“Rest assured that we will work doubly hard to make a difference for the benefit of the air riding public,” Monreal said.
Three months ago, NAIA was listed in the top 10 most improved airports in the 2018 World Airport Awards by Skytrax.
NAIA ranked number 10 in the survey while Fiumicino Airport in Rome bagged the top spot followed by Perth Airport in Australia and Calgary International Airport in Alberta, Canada.
Completing the list of 10 most improved airports were Taiwan Taoyuan, Athens, Nadi, Monreal, Moscow Sheremetyevo and Houston Intercontinental.
The Skytrax World Airport Awards are voted for by air travellers in the largest, annual global airport customer satisfaction survey.
The 2018 Awards are based on 13.73 million airport survey questionnaires completed by over 100 different nationalities of airline customers during the survey period.
In October 2017, online travel site Guide to Sleeping in Airports also excluded NAIA in the list of the worst in the world.
Based on the Guide to Sleeping in Airports 2017 review, Juba International Airport in South Sudan topped the list of Worst Airports in the World.
Upon assumption of office in July 2016, Monreal instituted numerous reforms and improvements to better serve the passengers and users of the four terminals of the country’s premier airport.
