DOTC to bid out new Naia study deal

The transportation department is set to bid out anew a consultancy contract that would help increase the use of the existing primary runway at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport and ease congestion, its top official said.

The move was viewed as a “quick fix” answer to congestion as the government explores more permanent solutions like a new parallel runway at Naia or an entirely new airport located no more than 30 minutes away from Metro Manila.

“We are taking in consultants to check if we can increase runway capacity through technology that will address congestion,” Abaya said in a recent interview.

He noted at least two bidding attempts have failed, but the Department of Transportation and Communications was keen on pursuing this approach.

Interested consultants include Nats Ltd., the leading provider of air traffic control services in the UK, and Copenhagen Airport, Abaya said.

“Nats, just by mere looking, said we can bring up [landing and take-off events per hour] at Naia to 62. That’s merely ocular, without any studies. So that gives up hope,” Abaya said.

That would be already a significant increase from the 40 take-off and landing events per hour that Naia’s primary 3,400-meter runway is handling currently. Air traffic congestion leads to delays for passengers and higher costs for airlines.

Abaya said it was important to continue investing in Manila’s air gateways, given projections by the Department of Tourism that the country’s capital would still corner the lion’s share of foreign visitors.

The DOTC had other options to explore, however these would require more work, including the construction of a P2-billion parallel runway at Naia, Abaya said.