PH Govt eyeing P7.2-B LCC terminal at CIA CLARK FREEPORT -- Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the Aquino administration is currently studying plans for the proposed P7.2 billion Low Cost Carrier (LCC) Terminal at the Clark International Airport. Abaya issued the statement during the launching of daily flights (Dubai-Clark-Dubai) by the Emirates Airlines on Tuesday. "The government is currently studying the concept of a Low Cost Carrier Terminal at Clark Airport, because of its potential as gateway of the country," Abaya told reporters. The Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), headed by President and CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano, submitted to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) the proposed LCC Terminal amounting to an initial P7.2 billion. The Budget Terminal is designed to accommodate 10 to 15 million passengers annually. Luciano said the LCC Terminal would accommodate low-cost carriers which are currently flying out of Clark including Cebu Pacific Air, Air Asia Berhad, Jin Air and Tiger Air Philippines. Long haul airlines operating in Clark include Asiana Airlines of South Korea, and Dragonair of Cathay Pacific. He also said that the P360 million Passenger Terminal Building currently being constructed is expected to be fully completed by December of 2013 instead of the June 2014 deadline. The new terminal is designed to accommodate 5 million passengers annually. "The way things are going, the construction phase would be completed by December of this year, instead of the June 2014 deadline," Luciano told reporters. Abaya also said that "President Aquino is fully supportive of the Middle East flights of Emirates Airlines at Clark Air via Dubai-Clark route." "Rest assured that the government continues to attract more airlines especially foreign carriers to mount flights at our airports in the country," Abaya added. Mohammed Mattar, Divisional senior vice president for Airport Services of Emirates, expressed confidence that their market in Clark will grow as passengers in the North Luzon. Mattar lauded Luciano for a "job well done" at Clark Airport citing various developments and improvements in its facilities. "He (Luciano) has done a lot for Clark, and that he is really working hard to make Clark Airport as the next gateway of the Philippines," Mattar added. Emirates country manager Gigie Baroa said that Emirates flights will attract Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and tourists from the Middle East and Europe. Baroa said there are about 1.5 million Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia, 600,000 in UAE and 150,000 in Bahrain. Emirates Airlines launched daily flights here as part of its worldwide expansion program making Clark as their second gateway and 135th station all over the world. Emirates Airlines was awarded as the "Best Airline in the World" by Skytrax this year. It flies to 132 destinations in six continents serving more than 3,000 flights with a fleet of more than 200 aircrafts.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:59:27 +0000