Situated in the Western Pacific Ocean and formed by around 7,460 islands, the Philippines is an archipelagic country that is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity along with its touristic appeal.
In terms of aviation, the country is one of the strongest contenders in Asia being home to several notable airlines such as Cebu Pacific and the flag-carrier Philippine Airlines along with 80 active airports. Here Eways Aviation takes a look at the Philippines top three airports.
The Philippines main international gateway, Ninoy Aquino International Airport serves the capital city of Manila and is commonly referred to as Manila International Airport. The airport is named after Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., who was assassinated on the premises in 1983 whilst inaugurating a new terminal. It is located approximately 7km south from the Manila city centre on the border between the small cities of Pasay and Parañaque. The airport is the hub for several airlines including Cebgo, Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, along with Philippine Airlines and Philippines AirAsia. It is managed by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).
As the country’s first airport, Manila International operated as a base for the US Air Force up until 1948, when it was passed on to the government for civilian use. At the time the airport featured a single runway that continues to operate for domestic flights along with a small passenger terminal building. Under management from the Philippine’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) the airport was expanded over the following 13 years to make it more suited for international flights. Of the many improvements, the airport received a new runway capable of handling larger aircraft, a taxiway, along with a control tower and a terminal building dedicated to serving international passengers. It was then that the airport was renamed Manila International Airport. With the 70s boom in Philippine tourism and a surge of passengers to the country, then President Ferdinand Marcos prioritized airport projects to meet the increasing demand expected in following decades. Since then the airport has seen significant expansions and today features four terminals designated as follows:
Terminal 1 (1981) - International Airlines
Terminal 2 (1999) - Philippine Airlines and PAL Express for both domestic and international flights
Terminal 3 (2014) - Domestic and International Flights of other airlines
Terminal 4 (1948) - Domestic flights of other airlines
In total the four terminals provide the airport with an operational capacity of around 27 million passengers with terminal 3 being the largest at over 15 million per year whilst Terminal 4 is the smallest and only capable of handling less than 1000 travelers per hour.
Ninoy Aquino International features two asphalt runways, the longer measuring 3,373m whilst the second, used mostly for domestic operations, is 2,258m long. Of all of the Philippines international airports only Ninoy Aquino and Clark International are capable of accommodating large haul aircraft such as the A380.
Given the magnitude of Ninoy Aquino International Airport the airport serves an extensive list of over 20 airlines that includes such flyers as Emirates, Air China, KLM, Qatar Airways, Saudi and Malaysia Airlines.
The second busiest airport of the Philippines is Mactan–Cebu International, located in the city of Lapu-Lapu on Mactan Island and serving the Central Visayas region. Regulated by the Mactan–Cebu International Airport Authority, the airport serves as a hub for several airlines including Cebu Pacific, Pan Pacific Airlines, and Royal Air Charter Service.
Like Manila International, Mactan-Cebu is also a descendant of the US-Air Forces having been set up in 1956 and used as an emergency airport for Strategic Air Command bombers, a role that it retained until the mid-60s, when it was opened for commercial transport. To this day the airport retains its single 3,300m runway that had been constructed by US forces whilst receiving two new terminal buildings to address increasing passenger numbers and overcrowding.
The first came in 2011 and at the cost of $3.91 million, gave the airport improved safety and security facilities along with the addition of two waiting lounges, increased boarding bridges, and two passageways. The second expansion project constructing Terminal 2 initiated in the summer of 2015. Opening three years later in 2018, the new terminal augmented the airport’s capacity from 4.5 million to 12.5 million travellers per year and improved general airport facilities such as check in counters, passageways, baggage handling, fire fighting and security services. Further plans to improve the airport include the addition of a second runway, a project that has been in operation since 2017 and expected for completion in spring of 2022.
With a single 3,000m runway, Francisco Bangoy International airport is the Philippine’s third busiest airport located on Mindanao Island. Interestingly, unlike many airports around Asia that were established as military bases or through governmental initiatives, it was established through a land donation by one of the founders of Davao city, Francisco Bangoy. It’s initial operations were handled primarily by Philippine Airlines and the Philippine Air Force.
By 1980 the airport had received an extended perimeter thanks to another donation from Paciano Bangoy, son of Francisco. With the increased space the airport was given its first large terminal, designed by architect Leandro Locsin, and with an operating capacity of one million passengers per annum. In addition the airport's runway was significantly extended from 1,200m to the 3,000m it retains today. Despite its success, the new terminal was soon overcrowded and authorities addressed the need of a larger facility by adding a new terminal for international travellers.
Seeing the rapid growth of Davao as an economic and touristic destination, Filipino authorities began planning another new terminal in 1992. With construction initiated in 2000, 3 years later the $52.6 million new terminal opened its gates to travelers with a capacity doubling the old facility. Currently the airport is set for more improvements although seeing heavy setbacks due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Phillipines presents a very powerful airport network that has seen its shares of setbacks and improvements over the years. In the case that the country continues to improve its aviation facilities post-pandemic, the country could grow to be one of the most important aviation destinations in Asia.
With over 25 airlines, from charters and transporters to commercial flyers, the Phillipines possesses one of the most prolific airline networks in Asia
From a country that houses over 80 active airports here is an in-depth look at the top three aviation facilities spread throughout the Philippines islands
