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CLARK FREEPORT—At least P360 million will be used to improve Terminal 1 of the Clark International Airport as two budget airlines are set to begin operations here in October.
Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano on Wednesday disclosed that the CIAC will get a multimillion bank loan for the rehabilitation of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) Terminal 1. Some P300 million was used to expand Terminal 1 last year in preparation for the 2 million passengers expected to use the DMIA facilities in the next two years.
This development came amid reports that businessman Manny V. Pangilinan of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. expressed his intention to build a budget terminal at the Clark airport.
From January to June of this year, there were 361,106 passengers at the DMIA, according to a CIAC report. There were 607,704 passengers in 2010.
Luciano said the “major repair” was necessary as the Airphil Express owned by the Lucio Tan Group of Companies and Air Asia Inc., the Philippines-based affiliate of the AirAsia Group, will begin operations next October. The two are budget airlines.
This, as Luciano announced the arrival of an Air Bus A-320 owned by the AirAsia Group at about 11 a.m., on August 15 at the DMIA.
Luciano disclosed that the A-320 is one of the 300 Airbus passenger planes ordered by the AirAsia Group based in Malaysia.
“Two months ago, AirAsia made history by ordering the single biggest order of air buses numbering 300 airplanes,” said Luciano, appointed CIAC president and CEO in 2006.
He said the AirAsia plane is worth about $60 million and will come from the Airbus headquarters at Toulouse, France.
He said the arrival of the plane “is more than just a ceremonial thing” but the beginning of the hub operations of AirAsia.
Luciano said 13 Airbus planes will be used by the AirAsia-Philippines for their operations at the DMIA.
“AirAsia is thinking of having 20 airbuses in the near future flying from the DMIA. One airbus can fly five times a day in and around Asia,” he added.
The CIAC is set to repair and put improvements on the first floor of the DMIA terminal, particularly the check-in and departure areas, said Luciano.
“The present set-up of Terminal I is enough for the arrival of the AirAsia and Airphil Express. But once they decide to operate all together during the day, we will need more space,” said Luciano.
He disclosed that some 4 million passengers could be handled once the repair work is completed.
As of July, the DMIA averages 80 international and local flights per week, most of which are by Cebu Pacific offering regular flights to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Macau and Cebu.
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By: Joey Pavia
Source: Business Mirror, Aug. 11, 2011
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