ANOTHER set of new terminal assignments at the country’s primary gateway was implemented beginning Saturday, July 1.
All domestic flights of AirAsia and Royal Air Philippines from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 4 were transferred to NAIA Terminal 2. Flights of Sunlight Air, meanwhile, transferred to NAIA Terminal 4.
These are part of the third and last phase of the Schedule and Terminal Assignment Rationalization or STAR program, which seeks to optimize the terminals, ease congestion, and improve on-time performance, as well as passengers’ airport experience.
“Ang tinitingnan d’yan ‘yung slotting. With the STAR program, we are trying to optimize each terminal. Mas seamless kasi… with full domestic operation, tinanggal na natin ‘yung immigration counters… glass partitions kaya mas maluwag na ang pre-departure area,” NAIA 2 terminal manager Sean Sunga said.
“Mas more convenient and comfortable sila. Mas mabilis ang proseso,” he added.
NAIA Terminal 2 used to accommodate some international flights of Philippine Airlines, with an estimated average of 11,000 to 12,000 departing passengers daily, according to Sunga.
But these were transferred to Terminal 1 on June 16, as Terminal 2 is targeted to handle only domestic flights. Air Asia expects to bring to Terminal 2 around 8,000 to 9,000 departing domestic passengers daily.
“Malaki pa ang room for expansion for the airlines para magdagdag ng routes,” Sunga said.
“Approximately, we’re at about 70 percent to a high of 75 percent of pre-pandemic (passenger volume). Marami pang capacity na kailangan increase ang aming pasahero and we need more aircraft… Madadagdagan ang aming aircraft, therefore dadagdagan din namin ang aming domestic flights,” AirAsia Philippines Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Isla said.
Some passengers of AirAsia’s domestic flights expressed a preference for Terminal 4, saying its entrance and exit are nearer to the main road, which gives passengers easier access to various forms of public transportation. (ABS-CBN News)
