More Clark News

[Jung]

1). Govt building budget air terminal in Clark

THE government plans to put up an P8-billion terminal for budget carriers in Clark, Pampanga, to accommodate the “spillover” traffic from the Manila International Airports’ congested terminals, an official said over the weekend.

Clark International Airport Corp. president Victor Luciano said the state-run firm was now preparing another public-private partnership project to build another terminal at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, which would be up for bidding next year.

“We will draft the terms of reference to be approved by the national government,” Luciano said.

He said the terminal, to be patterned after the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, would occupy 40 hectares and have a maximum annual capacity of up to 10 million passengers.

“In two years that will be finished,” Luciano said.

He said a city air terminal in Northern Metro Manila was also being planned to complement the terminal for budget carriers. It would allow passengers to save on extra traveling costs because shuttle buses would take them to the airport.

Luciano said his agency had allotted P120 million to build the new terminal while a private partner would put up a counterpart fund. The winning bidder is to build and manage the terminal and run the shuttle buses.

Meanwhile, Luciano said Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s plan to put up a terminal in Clark had not yet been proposed to his agency. Only San Miguel Corp. had formally submitted a proposal to build one.

“[San Miguel] has submitted a proposal for Terminal 2, and we are looking at that now. That’s independent of the planned budget terminal,” Luciano said.

The airport in Clark is 85 kilometers away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It is the main airport serving the Clark Special Economic Zone. The airport handled 607,704 international passengers and 46,525 domestic passengers last year.



2). AIRPHIL EXPRESS TO OPERATE OUT OF CLARK

Lucio Tan’s airline to operate in Clark

MANDALUYONG CITY – Lucio Tan-owned AirPhil Express, formerly known as Air Philippines, is expected to operate and fly out of Clark this October via the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).

“This is a landmark day for Clark International Airport Corp., a special day, a special moment,” said CIAC President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano during the contract-signing with executives of AirPhil Express at the Edsa Shangrila hotel here on Friday.

Luciano said that some 25 million people from northern and Central Luzon will benefit from the agreement. He lauded the efforts of AirPhil Express saying that its new domestic and international routes, mostly Southeast Asian, augur well for Clark.

Citing the increasing congestion at NAIA, Luciano said the budget airlines’ decision to fly at the DMIA will complement Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s operation.

“Clark is not only for northern and Central Luzon but for the whole country. We’d like to see Clark connected with the whole world,” he said.

Luciano noted that DMIA’s two parallel runways could accommodate A-380 aircraft, known to be the largest passenger planes in the world.

The entry of AirPhil Express has also diffused perceptions that Tan is cold to proposals to transform DMIA as the country’s premiere gateway.

Central Luzon leaders have perceived and at times openly criticized Tan as a stumbling block to the entry of foreign LCC’s into the DMIA amid the demand of his company for other foreign carriers to work out “reciprocity” of rights in their countries of origin.

AirPhil Express Senior Legal Counsel Jonathan Andrew Lim said he was not aware of such perception of Tan among Central Luzon folk. However, he noted that AirPhil’s entry into Clark manifested Tan’s support to develop DMIA.

“The reciprocity issue was a demand for fair play with foreign carriers,” he said.

Alfredo Herrera, AirPhil Express senior vice president for Marketing and Sales, said that their pending operation at the DMIA was an indication that Tan has “arrived” at Clark.

EXPANSION

Herrera said that at least two airlines will fly at Clark this year and another four next year.

He also said that their continuing expansion outside Metro Manila “is good for consumers because of the competition.”

“This is all in line with our expansion process and consistent with our growth strategy to solidify our position as a key player in the local budget airline market,” Herrera said.

However, he declined to reveal the routes that AirPhil Express would have once it starts operations at the DMIA, merely saying this would be a “surprise.”

Herrera also said that they are also offering 10-percent discount on airfare for students.

Airphil Express has seven Airbus A320s, three Q300s and five Q400. It flies to 25 domestic and two international destinations. It is the low cost carrier (LCC) sister company of Philippine Airlines which is owned by the Lucio C. Tan Group of Companies.