CEBU CITY – The new Terminal 2 of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in Lapu-Lapu City to open its facilities and operations on July 1 with the first flight to arrive at MCIA-T2 at 3:40 a.m. of China Eastern MU 5023 from Shanghai and the first flight to depart from MCIA-T2 at 4:40 a.m.-China Eastern MU 5024 Cebu to Shanghai.

According to Avigael Maningo, Corporate Affairs and Branding Dept. of GMR-MEGAWIDE Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC), they are expecting about 180 passengers in each flight. There will be short welcome and send-off programs for the passengers as they arrive and depart Cebu.

Maningo, in a media site open house tour and briefing Tuesday said the new Terminal 2 is also open for public viewing and tour on June 27-28, prior to the July 1 opening flights for international passengers.

“T2 is dedicated to serve all international flights accommodating more than 4.5 million passengers,” Maningo added.

Maningo guided the media tour around the Terminal 2 describing every section of the facility. In a press briefer kit, GMCAC president Louie Ferrer described it as world-class facility and resort-gateway, reflecting the tropical resort experience of Cebu and showcasing the best Filipino service and hospitality in its design and structure.

Terminal 2 Features

It covers 65,500 square meters with two-level forecourt separating arrival and departure areas. The departures area has four check-in halls with 48 counters while the arrival area level has seven passenger boarding bridges that can be expanded to 12.

For easy access and mobility, there are 12 escalators and 15 elevators all throughout T2. The parking area can accommodate 50 to 750 cars as needed. There will also be an array of food and retail choices, including a mall, casino, and a hotel.

What is most noticeable and recognizable element inside Terminal 2 is its roof structure made up of an array of glued-laminated (glulam) timber wood arches imported from Austria.

The roof design undulates and creates a drama with sleek geometries and dynamic perspectives imitating sea waves around the Mactan Cebu Island. The internal spaces are enclosed by a transparent-glazed and soundproof glass façade about 18 meters tall creating light and space at their best.

Link Bridge Canopy: Another area of interest in this terminal is the 19 meters long bridge link that features the Texlon-brand ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) cladding system, welded into cushions or foils that provide sun and rain protection to departing passengers being dropped off in the area.

Check-in counters with glowing lanterns: These are equipped with synthetic stone countertops embellished with fiber-synthetic mesh weaving and accented by LED mood lights that glow like lanterns in various colors.

Terrazzo Flooring: Notable and beautiful feature at the departure area of T2 is the iridescent Terrazzo flooring with a mother-of-pearl inlay that resembles Cebu’s white sand beaches. The crushed mother-of-pearls shards sparkle as the light from the ceiling catches them.

Washrooms: Inside the washrooms are lush moss walls made from natural lichen sourced and manufactured in Italy. It creates an indoor gardening to help stabilize humidity and improve air quality. All doors are made of real Mahogany wood.

Baggage handling system: T2 boasts of its high-speed baggage handling system, the first in the country according to Engr. Archie Moquia, Team Leader, Rapiscan System. He said this system is equipped with a 4-level online screening system that ensures all checked-in baggage items are free of security-restricted items.

F&B and Retail Options: The terminal has some of the international F&B selections such as Camden, Ritazza to Go, Burger King, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Cabin Bar, and others. Before boarding, passengers can also do their last-minute shopping at T2’s Duty Free and Duty Paid walkthrough area.

Maningo said this is a terminal with a welcoming ambiance that is distinctly Filipino and with this, MCIA with its 22 international and 33 domestic destinations will no longer be a secondary airport, but a viable choice that connects Cebu to the rest of the Philippines and the world with its 23 partner airline carriers, and probably more to come.

By Minerva Newman
Published June 27, 2018