Gov’t plans to expand Clark airport project

The government’s expansion program for the Clark International Airport in Pampanga has become more ambitious as plans for a new terminal big enough for 50 million passengers a year are being drawn up.

Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president Victor Luciano said the new airport, together with other facilities being developed in major cities around the country, would be big enough to handle the long-term growth in passenger traffic.

“We will still build the terminal for P12 billion, but the new one will be much bigger than [originally planned],” Luciano said. “This will be bigger than Manila, eventually,” he said.

“The DOTC [Department of Transportation and Communications] is already on board with this,” he added.

He said the final budget for the planned terminal was still being finalized and the configuration was still being determined. “We’re still trying to see if we will make it a pure ‘legacy carrier’ terminal or a combination of a budget terminal and a traditional terminal,” he said.

A terminal designed for legacy carriers, he said, would have to be fitted with complete amenities that traditional travelers have come to expect. These include airline lounges for first and business class passengers, restaurants and air bridges.

Terminals for budget airlines, meanwhile, have fewer frills, allowing airlines to keep costs down at the expense of some conveniences.

Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals are used by about 30 million passengers a year. “But remember, the tourism department expects arrivals to reach 10 million (from four million in 2011),” Luciano said.

He added that the bigger terminal in Clark would be complemented by the expansion of other airports in cities like Cebu and Davao to help distribute traffic more evenly across the country.