The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will need technology equipment to be able to increase its aircraft capacity from the current capacity of 40 to 43 movements per hour at the airport.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said that NAIA would be able to achieve this through new technology equipment, like the one made at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom.
The current capacity of 40 aircraft movements (landing and take off) per hour at the NAIA consists of commercial flights, cargo flights, and general aviation.
Bautista said that there is no need for a new runway as long as there are new technologies that will be used by Air Traffic Controller (ATC) to meet the additional slots.
Gatwick is noted as the largest single-runway airport in the world with a maximum of 55 planes landing and taking off every hour on the 3,316 meter-long by 45 meter-wide runway of London.
NAIA's primary runway (06/24) is 3,737 meters (12,260 feet) long and 60 meters (200 feet) wide. Its secondary runway (13/31) is 2,258 meters (7,408 feet) long and 45 meters (148 feet) wide.
"Hindi na kailangan pa ang karagdagang runway dahil may technology na gagamitin para madagdagan ang slot per hour tulad ng ginagamit ng Gatwick Airport sa London (There is no need for an additional runway because there is technology system that will be used to increase the slot per hour, as used by Gatwick Airport in London)," Bautista said during Friday's walkthrough inspections with AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla at the airline check-in counters and kiosks, and boarding gates at the NAIA Terminal 2.
The secretary stressed that such technology saves time and the queue of the plane on the runway and taxiway will be shorter, so the takeoff and landing of planes will be faster.
Bautista cited the plan of acquiring technology systems was already been discussed, as among those that would need to be improved at NAIA, with the bidders for the privatization of the country's main gateway.
Friday's walkthrough was joined by MIAA Officer in Charge Bryan Co, Civil Aeronautical Board Administrator Carmelo Arcilla, Office for Transportation Security chief Jose A. Briones, Jr. and other government officials.
Co said that the ATC equipment will also "involve some policy improvements on the recommended aircraft types operating at NAIA so we can reduce runway occupancy time and interval between aircraft."
"We have engaged consultants to provide latest technology recommendations as part of the PPP process which are also being shared to prospective bidders," Co stressed.
He added that aside from Gatwick airport, "there are several single-runway airports that have been able to optimize their capacity" with the use of the latest technology.
Isla, meanwhile, has assured all AirAsia passengers flying to various provinces for the observance of All Souls Day and All Saints Day of a smooth and on time customer journey at the NAIA Terminal 2.
The airline expects to operate more than 700 domestic flights and carry over 900,000 guests from October 27 to November 1. This is eight percent higher than the same figures for the same period in 2022 with all domestic destinations averaging 90-93 percent passenger load.
"We would like to guarantee our guests of a smooth journey this holiday as they travel to their provinces and fly back to Manila. We have activated all and even augmented our ground operations staff to man the check-in counters without breaks. This exercise will also support MIAA's positive on time performance," Isla said.
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