May 5—Manila(Inquirer/ANN)- Clark International Airport has started operating its new passenger terminal, which can accommodate eight million passengers annually.
The Department of Transportation said the first departing and arriving flights at the new hub were given ceremonial water cannon salutes to commemorate its first day on May 2.
It started servicing passengers at a time when travel demand is returning amid the easing of mobility restrictions.
The 110,000 square-meter terminal features touchless passenger check-in stalls. It also has self-bag-drop systems in place.
Other amenities include all-gender restrooms, nursing stations, multi-faith prayer rooms and exclusive lounge for overseas Filipino workers.
"With this new, modern aviation hub, and start of its operations, it will not only help in decongesting the air traffic at NAIA ( Ninoy Aquino International Airport) in Manila, it will also open doors for job opportunities, more progressive tourism, and advanced socio-economic endeavors in the region, and the entire archipelago," DOTr said.
In a separate statement, Cebu Pacific chief corporate affairs officer Michael Ivan Shau said on Monday that the "new terminal will further enhance customer journeys with its state-of-the-art contactless solutions, aligned with [the airline's] mission to provide safe and convenient travel for all."
The budget carrier has daily flights between Clark and Cebu.
"As more borders open and leisure travel becomes available, we look forward to ramping up our network in this key hub to address the anticipated demand," Shau said.
The new terminal, a hybrid public-private partnership project under the "Build Build Build" Program, was built by the consortium of Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR Infrastructure, which is the operator of Mactan Cebu International Airport.
Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD) Corp. operates and maintains the Pampanga gateway.
LIPAD is a special purpose company comprising Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc., Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc. and Changi Airports Philippines (I) Pte. Ltd.
Filinvest has a 42.5-percent stake while JG Summit holds 33 percent. Changi Airports and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions, meanwhile, have a 15-percent and 9.5-percent share, respectively.
The consortium was awarded the operations and management contract in August 2019.
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