Ninoy Aquino International Airport to get makeover

[alberttky 0]

The Philippine government has announced that it is allocating US$110 million to revamp Terminal 1 of its Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) as it looks to boost tourism.

The makeover of the 31-year-old facility – often the despair of Filipino travellers and no stranger to “Worst Airport in the World” lists – represents maintenance activities “which have been deferred for several years”, budget and management secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad told local media.

Priority will be given to the urgent structural retrofit of Naia 1, followed by construction of a new taxiway to alleviate congestion. When it opened in 1981, the terminal was designed to handle only 4.5 million passengers a year, but it now services 7.3 million passengers annually.

No less important will be the rehabilitation of its 72 washrooms, often the source of vociferous complaints for their lack of running water.

Philippine president Benigno Aquino III has declared that tourism is a crucial element of his economic reform agenda. He said they were aiming to attract 10 million tourists annually by 2016, up from the current four million. However, visitor growth to the archipelago – boasting some of the region’s most stunning coastlines – has been stymied time and again due to poor infrastructure and guest facilities.

Some domestic airports in the central and southern Philippines are also due to get makeovers.

 

http://www.businesst...rt-to-get-make-

 

Well it's truly about time, don't you agree?

[Fairul 0]

I hope they dont get rid of the current FID in Terminal 1. Thats my favourite.

[Radzi 2]

My fist visit to the terminal was in 1983, enroute to the USA. It looks almost exactly the same today, minus the people standing right behind you while you were peeing, getting ready to hand you the toilet paper. Definitely a culture shock for a 18-yrs old on his first trip out of his country.

 

Trivia: Anybody know which bay was Aquino shot and murdered? I asked a ground staff last year and got the answer, but unfortunately forgot what it was.

[Suzanne Goh 0]

 

Trivia: Anybody know which bay was Aquino shot and murdered? I asked a ground staff last year and got the answer, but unfortunately forgot what it was.

 

Not sure which one, but i was told once that they put a darker slab of concrete or a darker coloured stone there to mark the spot, but don't know how far it's true.

[Adrian Meredith 0]

It certainly is the worst airport in Asia that I have to travel through, even the Indian airports have been replaced/refurbished. Radzi, don't worry, the guys in NAI are still standing behind you with a piece of toilet paper in one hand and the other out for a tip!

[Pieter C. 5]

...Allocating 110 million USD and spending, probably, 11 million USD; the rest will, miraculously, disappear...