MIAA: Plan to shut down NAIA Terminal 4 remains uncertain

MANILA – The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Monday clarified that there is no definite plan yet to close the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 4.

MIAA acting General Manager Eric Ines told the Philippine News Agency that closing the terminal is unlikely to happen at the moment, but added there was an initial thought of shutting it down and expanding the Runway 13/31.

"As we speak, the San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has not informed us if such a plan would push through. They initially thought of closing the Terminal 4 to expand the Runway 13/31," he said.

SMC leads the consortium that will operate and rehabilitate the NAIA starting in September.

In a previous interview, SMC chief executive officer Ramon Ang had mentioned the plan.

The group, however, still needs to study this.

"The plan to close Terminal 4 is uncertain," Ines said, while also acknowledging the possibility that the consortium would give this a go in the future.

As to a recent news report that the government is urging airlines to move their turboprop operations from NAIA to Clark, Ines said this has been a plan for quite some time now.

The suggestion, he said, aims to promote Clark and to minimize aircraft congestion.

Smaller planes operate at the NAIA Terminal 4, and they mostly service resort destinations such as Siargao and Coron, Ines added.

Meanwhile, reacting to some reports that the NAIA Terminal 4 was closed and flooded last July 24 due to inclement weather, Ines clarified that the terminal building was open and it was only the ramp area that got flooded.

"The flood in the apron was knee-deep, so Cebu Pacific couldn't park their ATR planes," he said.

Ines also claimed there was no problem with the airport's flood control and mitigation efforts.

The flood, he said, came from the Parañaque River. (PNA)