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Ninoy Aquino International Terminal 2 is now exclusive for domestic flights
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2 airlines moved their domestic flights to NAIA T2
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New immigration counters to be added in NAIA T3
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Immigration annex to boost operations
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 is now exclusively a domestic terminal, following the conclusion of Manila International Airport Authority’s (MIAA) Schedule and Terminal Assignment Rationalization (STAR) program.
On July 1, AirAsia Philippines and Royal Air Philippines moved their domestic flights to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2, while Sunlight Air relocated to NAIA Terminal 4.
Meanwhile, NAIA Terminal 2 now exclusively caters to domestic flights as it is home to local flights operated by Philippine Airlines (PAL), AirAsia, and Royal Air.
“This change benefits both our domestic and international passengers. With NAIA Terminal 2 now handling domestic flights only, CIQ (Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine) personnel have been redistributed to NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 as additional deployment. This shall ensure maximum manning of these posts, especially at peak hours,” MIAA Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Bryan Co said in a statement.
“The removal of the initial screening and clearing of the immigration area of its counters is expected to increase Terminal 2’s capacity from 7.5 million to 10 million passengers per year due to additional space,” Co added.
On the other hand, passengers in NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 have a wider selection of food and retail stores and more time for duty-free shopping. More and new restaurants are likewise expected to open within the year.
From its previous congested state, NAIA Terminal 4 has now been converted into a turbo-prop terminal serving Cebgo, AirSWIFT, and Sunlight Air.
The terminal reassignments began on December 1, 2022, with the successful transfer of PAL flights to and from the US, Canada, Middle East, and Bali (Indonesia) to Terminal 1. This was followed by the movement of PAL flights to and from Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, and Phnom Penh on April 16, 2023.
On the same day, Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Japan, China Southern Airlines, Scoot, and STARLUX Airlines likewise completed their transfer to NAIA Terminal 3.
Gulf Air, Thai Airways, Jeju Air, and Ethiopian Airlines relocated to NAIA Terminal 3 on June 1, while PAL finally completed the transfer of all its international flights to NAIA Terminal 1 on June 16.
In a related development, MIAA said that it will continue working on expanding the capacity of NAIA Terminal 2, while the domestic operations of Cebu Pacific will remain in Terminals 3 and 4.
Collaboration with Bureau of Immigration
MIAA also said that, as discussed with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) during the planning stages of the STAR program, it is committed to expanding the immigration area in NAIA Terminal 3.
NAIA Terminal 3 started the year with 26 departure immigration counters and has since then increased to 36 counters in time for the last phase of the STAR program. An additional eight counters will be made available next week, bringing a total of 44 immigration counters for NAIA’s “busiest” terminal.
The airport authority also aims to complete the construction of an immigration annex adjacent to BI’s present site by December 2023, where six four-man counters will be constructed or where 24 more immigration officers can be deployed.
Once completed, the annex will serve as a processing area for OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), PWDs (persons with disabilities), senior citizens, and diplomats.
The MIAA is set to reconfigure the immigration and final security screening areas interchanging their current locations once finished. This move aims to hasten processing times, giving passengers more hours to do pre-boarding shopping or dine at nearby restaurants and food outlets, according to the airport authority.
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