PH decongests Naia amid ‘world’s worst airport’ tag

NAIA. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – After again being listed among the “Worst Airports in the World,” the government on Tuesday said the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) has been undergoing improvements, including the decongestion of its terminals.

“Patuloy naman ‘yung pagsasagawa ng mga major physical improvements sa Naia Terminal 1 at isa ngang mahalagang hakbang na isinulong ng ating pamahalaan ay ‘yung full operationalization ng Terminal 3,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing.

(The Naia Terminal 1 continues to undergo major physical improvements and one of the steps being pushed by the government is the full operationalization of Terminal 3.)

Coloma added that five major international carriers have already started to transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 in a bid to further decongest the terminal assigned for international flights. He said the decongestion will allow the government to implement repairs and improvements.

No less than President Benigno Aquino III will be heading to Naia on Tuesday evening to inspect Terminal 3 and witness the arrival of Emirates’ Airbus 380 from Dubai. The water canon ceremony during the landing of the aircraft will mark the airline’s transfer to Terminal 3, which soon house the majority of the airport’s international flights.

Among the other airlines that have moved to Terminal 3 are Delta Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

“Masasabi naman natin na patuloy ‘yung pagsisikap natin na ma-improve ang image ng ating bansa doon mismo sa ating gateway, which is our international airport,” Coloma said.

(We can say that our efforts to improve the image of our country through our international airport, which serves as a gateway, continues.)

A week ago, Wall Street Cheat Sheet released an article titled “10 of the Worst Airports in the World” with the Naia listed first.

“This Manila-based airport struggles with the 32 million passengers who use its facility each year. That shouldn’t come as a shock, though, considering it only has the capacity for 6 million passengers,” the article said.

“Travelers complained about the airport’s rundown facilities, impolite staff and officials, and long wait times,” it added.

However, the article was also optimistic, saying it is looking forward to news that a new airport will be built in five years’ time.

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