A lot has been said about the beauty of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 (MCIA-T2) with its resort-themed feel; its facade, evoking a sense of the undulating waves of the sea. But a beautiful building alone does not make a good, functioning air terminal. What makes it a good airport are the services and amenities available.
To begin with, the entrance and exit to and from T2 is via a ramp that connects to the canopied bridge that links the airport terminal with its landscaped surroundings. There is ample parking space (good for 550 cars) and free transport via a shuttle bus that takes one from one terminal to the other. Also, there is elevator service between the arrival and departure areas.
Immigration and check-in counters are rattan weave-wrapped to give one “a sense of Cebu.” There are international food and beverage outlets and a Duty Free store called Momento which sells local delicacies, souvenir items, apparel and accessories.
Baggage handling is also different this time: One has to put his luggage into a bin, and it goes through a machine which detects if there are any liquids or anything else that should not be allowed in the aircraft. If and when spotted, the luggage is automatically separated for further inspection. The toilets, equipped with bidets, are moss-covered to help control humidity and air quality (wastage is lessened through the use of reverse osmosis for water in the toilets). Signs for where to go for gate numbers, refreshments, restrooms and for the elevators are very visible. The escalators, incidentally, do not start or stop at the first or last step but proceeds evenly a few steps more for ease in handling carts or carried luggage. There are also drinking water fountains around the vicinity. Baggage handling for arrivals is quick and efficient, and is in an area that is usually decorated for the season (for the Christmas holidays, it had blooming red poinsettias).
The airport utilizes a Bose audio system for clearer airport announcements. And at the Airport Operations Control Center, there are representatives from all airlines (there are about 25 of them) so they can monitor the status of their flights and readily make announcements if there are changes in flight schedules. Like Terminal 1, T2 has a lightning detection system. It has a Falcon Spider man-lift for use in high areas, in case of repairs or other system needs. And yes, there is an Incident Management Center, for whatever need may arise. For safety, glass doors are fire retardant. The beautiful arched beams of “glulam” timber wood, which add charm and warmth to the terminal, are also fire retardant.
Airport management continues to add to the amenities of the place. Among the recent ones are the Aerotel, an airport transit hotel by the Hong Kong-based Plaza Premium Group; and a pharmacy of the K2 Pharmacy chain at the departure area, offering generic and branded medicines, medical supplies and convenience store products.
Late last year, the Bureau of Immigration installed three electronic gates (e-gates) to scan e-passports, and are equipped with modern security features including facial recognition, biometric scanning, bar code reading and smart card recognition.
The airport is all of 65,000 square meters and is designed to handle 12.5 million passengers annually. With the 24 carriers now operating in MCIA-T2, that target might just be met.
BY JENARA REGIS NEWMAN
February 16, 2019
