“We are extremely pleased to confirm that full airline operations will begin at NAIA Terminal 3 next week,” the statement quoted Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya as saying.

“Our gateway airport will now be able to welcome 3.5 million more passengers… every year, and Terminal 1 will now be considerably decongested to improve passenger convenience,” he added.

Mr. Abaya said the Manila International Airport Authority had informed the department “that Delta Airlines will have its first flight out of Terminal 3 on Aug. 1,” followed by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines “within the first week of August” as well as Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Cathay Pacific “by the end of next month.”

“These five carriers have the highest volume of international flights coming in and out of NAIA, so we look forward to giving them a new home,” Mr. Abaya said.

The project, given to Takenaka Corp. in 1997, was to have been completed in 2002; but legal issues delayed opening to 2008 and then when it was 52% operational. In August 2013, Takenaka agreed to a $40-million deal to finish the job.