Partial closure of NAIA 1 when rehab begins...

[Terpe]

Portions of NAIA Terminal 1 will closed for operations due to rehab work

Portions of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (NAIA 1) will be closed when the terminal undergoes major rehabilitation starting December, according to Transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya.

"There will be parts of the airport to be shut down to start the work, but at least, the airport is not totally shut down," Abaya said.

Abaya explained that closing some parts of the terminal is necessary to ensure that the rehabilitation project will be completed by November 2014, in time for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meetings. The Philippines will host the APEC Summit in 2015.

“Clearly the main objective is to get NAIA 1 rehabilitated for APEC so if convenience of everybody will always be our parameter, we cannot move forward. So we have to swallow the bitter pill to get things moving forward, and improve,” he added.

The government had long planned to renovate NAIA 1, which was tagged again as the world's worst airport by visitors of travel website The Guide to Sleeping in Airports. (READ: What's the real score in NAIA 1 project).

World-renowned designer Kenneth Cobonpue and his team, and architecture firm Leandro V. Locsin and Associates were tapped by government to give the old and congested terminal a facelift. (READ: Rivals to partners: Cobonpue, Locsin to make over NAIA-1)

NAIA 1 has been accommodating 8 million passengers a year, way higher than its intended capacity of 4.5 million.

Transfer to NAIA 3

The rehabilitation of NAIA 1 complements the upgrade of NAIA 3, Abaya stressed.

The transportation secretary explained some operations in Terminal 1 will be transferred to Terminal 3 in phases.

"Hopefully, this will work complementarily because once we get parts of [Terminal 3] operational, we'll transfer some operations so NAIA 1's load will be lightened," he said.

Upgrade of NAIA 3 starts this month. Japanese contractor Takenaka Corporation was given until July 2014 to complete civil works for the 182,500-square meter terminal.

Only half of Terminal 3 has been considered structurally safe since it partially opened in 2008.

Takenaka's work contract covers "23 systems," which include flight information display, baggage handling and reconciliation, fire alarm and protection, and passenger boarding bridges, among others

Sources:-
http://www.rappler.com/business/indu...naia-1-upgrade

[grahamw48]

As long as they don't close the upstairs cafe and smoking room....

[SimonH]

It's been a very naughty terminal and obviously needs to be rehabilitated

[steve monty]

As long as they don't close the upstairs cafe and smoking room....

When I flew back from Manila, I used to spend all my time in that café waiting for my flight!

Seriously though, I do hope they are able to make it a little more bearable in there similar NAIA 2. I know it is basic, but the check-in counter are much better and there are more than one places to eat there compared to NAIA 1...

Somehow I don't think they will be renovating it to the standard of Singapore Changi or Bangkok Suvarnabhumi though

[grahamw48]

Airports are just places where I'm in danger of wasting money, so the quicker I'm through them the better. Couldn't care less what they look like...seats etc. Always have my packup with me though, so I don't have to pay the robbing s 3 quid for a lousy sandwich.

[grahamw48]

Oh, and I had a part in the promotional film about the opening of Chek Lap Kok airport in Hong Kong, as well as having helped to build the place.