BY DECEMBER 2021, local and foreign travelers will be greeted by the majestic view of Mount Arayat in the east and the Sacobia mountain ranges in the west as they land at the new Clark International Airport (CIA) Terminal.
Inside, travelers will be welcomed by cathedral ceilings that mimic the jagged stone walling of Central Luzon’s majestic caves. The ceilings are made of laminated wood from Austria.
The new airport terminal features accents of green and blue that emulate the greenery and the landscape of Central Luzon, while at the same time serve as an intuitive reference point for passengers and visitors.
The green represents the landscape of Mount Arayat, which faces the domestic boarding gates, while blue refers to the waters of Manila Bay, which faces the international boarding gates.
These silhouettes of nature meet modern as the new airport terminal features state-of-the-art facilities.
The new terminal has a floor area of 110,000 square meters, which measures four times and a half bigger than the existing airport. It also has 18 aerobridges and can accommodate as many as eight million passengers a year.
Modern features
As part of its vision to be the country’s premier gateway by revolutionizing travel experience, the new CIA terminal features contact-less options.
Especially now that passengers are more careful when traveling, and are looking for more secure options because of Covid-19, the new terminal has self-service kiosks for passenger check in, and self-bag drops to ensure minimal contact between passengers and airport personnel.
There will be no need to touch the kiosk screens because passengers will only need to scan a QR code that will help them navigate the check-in system and print their boarding pass using their mobile phones.
Another first will be the contact-less ordering system for the airport’s lounges and restaurants. Ordering food can be done via QR codes, while guests sit themselves safely distanced while waiting for their order.
The new terminal will be even more accessible and inclusive as toilet categories include Family Rooms, gender-neutral, and passenger with restricted mobility (PRM)-friendly restrooms. There will also be escalators and elevators in all boarding gates, providing seamless access for all passengers.
There will be a transfer desk for international passengers at the new terminal. Unlike in the past where passengers from Kansai had to pick up their luggage and pass through immigration and re-check in for their Singapore flight, this time, upon arrival, they can simply use the transfer desk, and go straight up to the airport’s event place.
The new terminal also features state-of-the-art intelligent Advanced Visual Docking Guidance System, which allows pilots to park aircrafts precisely and safely even in adverse weather conditions, using advanced laser technology.
The structure of the new Clark terminal was built by the consortium of Megawide Construction Corporation and GMR Infrastructure, with Budji+Royal Architecture+Design as the architect.
Meanwhile, the operations and maintenance of Clark are being overseen by Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corporation (Lipad), a consortium of Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings, Changi Airports Philippines and Philippine Airport Ground Solutions.
CHARLENE A. CAYABYAB
September 14, 2021
