THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has announced the suspension of renovations at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 4, while the private operator plans to construct a new Terminal 5.
MIAA general manager Eric Ines revealed that the operator, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), had previously announced in October that Terminal 4, the oldest of all NAIA terminals, would undergo “safety upgrades” and renovations starting November 6, with an expected reopening in February 2023. However, Ines stated that the plan to reopen Terminal 4 has been shelved, although no further details were provided.
MIAA currently serves as the regulator for NAIA under a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement with NNIC. The group added that updates on the renovation status will be posted on NNIC’s social media platforms.
In November, NNIC confirmed that renovations at Terminal 4 had commenced on November 6 as scheduled. No further details regarding its status were provided.
Terminal 4 currently serves AirSWIFT with 12 daily flights, Sunlight Air with two daily flights, and CebGo with 36 daily flights. These flights utilize smaller aircraft and operate to service island destinations.
The Manila Slot Coordination Committee, composed of the Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports, heads of MIAA, Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and NNIC general manager, has plans to gradually relocate turboprop operations outside of NAIA.
According to Ines, the plan is to relocate an initial 30% of turboprop operations starting in March, with the remaining relocation scheduled for the winter of 2025-2026.
Ines also mentioned that the Philippine Village Hotel will need to be demolished before construction of Terminal 5, or an extension of Terminal 2, can begin.
