Clark operator pushes for 2nd runway

A second runway at the Clark International Airport will make the gateway complex more attractive for logistics players as this will provide redundancy for aircraft landing and ensure on-time delivery of cargos, according to Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (Lipad).

Noel Manankil, CEO of the Clark airport operator, told reporters last week that logistics companies like FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc. land their aircraft in Clark on specific windows of time for their shipments so their customers’ parcels would be delivered immediately.

Because these companies provide express courier services, Manankil said they could not afford any delays, which could happen if the sole runway is closed for whatever reason.

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Manankil recalled there was an instance when the flight of one of these companies had to be diverted to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) because the runway was closed.

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As such, he said a second runway was needed to avoid this incident from happening again.

“To guarantee that, you must have redundancy,” he said.

However, Manankil noted the second runway will not only serve the logistics company as it can be multifunctional to accommodate other flights.

Amid the momentum of air travel, Clark International Airport Corp. previously said they were eyeing to build a second runway, which is estimated to cost P7 billion to P10 billion.

Further, an additional P2 billion is seen to be spent for the expansion of taxiways and aprons for new locators, including logistics companies.

This year, Lipad expects the Clark airport to accommodate around 3.3 million to 3.4 million passengers given the anticipated increase in flight activities with the transfer of turboprop operations from Naia.

This shows a potential growth of as much as 42 percent after servicing 2.4 million passengers in the past year.