The Philippine Star

Airasia, Emirates bat for dual airport system in Phl

- By iatoekce AGCALIII

Airlines are urging the Aquino administra­tion to fasttrack the joint developmen­t of the congested Ninoy Aquino Internatio­nal Airport ( NAIA) in Manila and the Clark Internatio­nal Airport in Pampanga under the twin or dual airport scheme.

Airline executives said the joint developmen­t would decongest the 30- year old NAIA, boosting the government’s chances of achieving the projected 10 million tourists by 2016.

AirAsia Inc. Philippine­s president and chief executive officer Maan Hontiveros said in an interview with reporters that airlines are awaiting the pronouncem­ent of President Aquino on whether the administra­tion would adopt a single or dual airport system.

“I understand also the President is very open to his concept of the dual airport. We are waiting for him to make a final announceme­nt on that and I hope it comes soon. Our plans hinge on how traffic develops in Clark for AirAsia,” Hontiveros stressed.

She pointed out that the entry of major players in the global aviation industry led by Emirates and Qatar Airways in the former US military base in Pampanga would increase air traffic.

“We are waiting to see how Clark operates. There is a new game changer in Clark as there are two big airlines that are going to start operating there. We expect to see an increase in traffic flow in Clark,” she added.

Emirates Philippine­s country manager Gigie Baroa told The STAR that declaring a dual airport system would help boost tourism and trade in the country, make it easier for overseas Filipino workers to fly, and at the same time decongest NAIA.

“It makes a lot of sense especially if we want to decongest Manila,” Baroa said.

She pointed out that London, Japan and New York have adopted a dual and multi-airport system.

“It makes a lot of sense in the same manner that for example London has Gatwick and Heathrow, Japan has Osaka and Narita, New York has John F. Kennedy internatio­nal airport, LaGuardia and Newark,” she added.

According to her, Clark Internatio­nal Airport has a dual runway that can accommodat­e wide-bodied aircraft and provide more taxiway compared to the single runway and taxiway at the NAIA.

“Clark’s biggest advantage is really its runway. You have dual runway and both runways could accommodat­e wide-bodied aircraft. Over and above the dual runway Clark has more room for more taxiways compared to NAIA that only has one runway and one taxiway,” Baroa stressed.

Emirates, one of the world’s largest airlines, is set to launch its daily non-stop flights to Dubai from Clark next month to cater to Filipinos and tourists whose destinatio­n is Northern Luzon. With the Manila and Clark route, Emirates offers four daily operations between Dubai and the Philippine­s including three daily flights via NAIA.

On the other hand, Qatar Airways is scheduled mount direct daily flights to Doha starting Oct. 28.

Business groups led by the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) have been urging the Department of Transporta­tion and Communicat­ions (DOTC) to “seriously consider” the developmen­t of the “twin airports” system.

The JFC emphasized that one big hub should have domestic and internatio­nal flights all together, and that it “inconvenie­nces passengers with domestic- internatio­nal connecting flights” if separation of domestic and internatio­nal ports continue.

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