Both NAIA andClark International Airport inClark Freeport Zone,Pampanga, serve theGreater Manila Area. Clark caters mainly to low-cost carriers because its landing fees have been lower ever since former presidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo called for Clark to replace NAIA as the Philippines' primary airport.[7] NAIA is operating beyond its designed capacity of 35 million passengers, clogging air traffic and delaying flights.[8] As a result, it has consistently been cited as one of the world's worst airports.[9][10][11][12] In response, aprivateconsortium has been overseeing the airport's operation and rehabilitation since September 14, 2024.[13] Two nearby construction projects meant to reduce congestion at NAIA are also underway: one being theNew Manila International Airport inBulakan,Bulacan and the other being to upgradeSangley Point Airport inCavite City into an international airport.[14]
Manila's original airport, Grace Park Airfield (also known as Manila North) in Grace Park,Caloocan (then a municipality ofRizal), opened in 1935. It was the city's first commercial airport and was used by the Philippine Aerial Taxi Company (laterPhilippine Airlines) for its first domestic routes.[16]
In July 1937,Nielson Airport, located in the 45-hectare (4,800,000 sq ft) land inMakati, also then in Rizal, was inaugurated and served as the gateway to Manila; its runways now formAyala Avenue andPaseo de Roxas.[17] FollowingWorld War II andPhilippine independence, Grace Park Airfield closed, while Nielson Airport continued to operate until it was decommissioned in 1948.
Airport operations were moved to the current site,Nichols Field, due to the flatter terrain, expanse of greenfield land, and the existing USAF base runway (Runway 13/31), which could be used for the airport.[18] The original one-story bungalow terminal was built adjacent to the runway and serves as the present-day Terminal 4.
In 1954, the airport's longer international runway (Runway 06/24) and associated taxiways were built, and in 1956, construction was started on a control tower and an international terminal building. The new terminal was designed byFederico Ilustre and was built on the current site of Terminal 2. It was inaugurated on September 22, 1961.[19] On January 22, 1972, a fire caused substantial damage to the terminal, resulting in six casualties.[20]
A slightly smaller terminal was built the following year. This second terminal would serve as the country's international terminal until 1981 when it was converted to a domestic terminal, upon the completion and opening of Terminal 1, a new, higher-capacity terminal.[21] Another fire damaged the old international terminal in May 1985.
On August 21, 1983, oppositionist politicianNinoy Aquino attempted to return to the Philippines from exile in the United States, hoping to convince presidentFerdinand Marcos to let go of political power after having held his position for nearly two decades.[22][23] Aquino was assassinated mere moments after exiting his plane at Terminal 1's Gate 8 (now Gate 11) after returning to the Philippines from exile in the United States. Aviation Security Command (AVSECOM) personnel escorted Aquino out of the plane to the tarmac, where an agency van awaited. A single gunshot killed him. Several shots were fired, killing alleged assassin, Rolando Galman. Seconds later, gunfire erupted, causing chaos in the plane, the tarmac, and the terminal.
Four years after the incident, during the presidency of Ninoy's widowCorazon Aquino in 1987,Republic Act No. 6639 was enacted without executive approval,[5] renaming the airport in Ninoy's honor.[26] Presently, a body mark of Aquino's assassination is on display at the departures area, while the spot at Gate 8 where he was killed has amemorial plaque.[27] Due to this event, Terminal 1 is nicknamed the "Ninoy Aquino Terminal."
Plans for a new terminal were conceived in 1989 when theDepartment of Transportation commissioned the French companyAéroports de Paris to conduct a feasibility study to expand capacity, which recommended to build two new terminals. Construction of Terminal 2, originally designed as a domestic terminal, began in 1995 and opened in 1999.[28] It served as the hub ofPhilippine Airlines until 2023. Meanwhile, the larger Terminal 3, which was beset by construction delays and legal issues,[29] opened in 2008 and became fully operational in 2014, servingCebu Pacific and most international airlines.[30]
In October 2015, reports of an extortion scam concerningbullets planted byairport security officials in airline passengers'luggage (dubbed by the local media thetanim-bala [literally plant-bullet] scam) spread, creating a scare among travelers.[31]Davao City MayorRodrigo Duterte, then a presumptive presidential candidate in the2016 Philippine presidential election, further alleged that a syndicate was behind the incidents. He said the operation had continued for more than two years.[32]Malacañang Palace and thePhilippine Senate investigated the incidents.[33][34] In April 2016, a similar incident occurred.[35]
Airbus A320 family aircraft ofCebu Pacific andPhilippines AirAsia at the remote gates of Terminal 3 in November 2021, two years before the rationalization of flights which relocated AirAsia's domestic flights to Terminal 2.
In February 2018, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) proposed the rationalization of flights to decongest the terminals of NAIA. The original plan called for Terminals 1 and 3 exclusively handling international flights, while Terminals 2 and 4 would facilitate domestic flights. This revision would deviate from the practice where Terminals 2 and 3 operate both domestic and international flights, contributing to the congestion of both terminals.[36] Transportation SecretaryArthur Tugade andHouse SpeakerPantaleon Alvarez supported the initiative, with the latter proposing that airlines relocate some of their flights toClark International Airport.[36] However, SenatorGrace Poe, chairperson of theSenate Committee on Public Services, voiced concerns that a hasty implementation might exacerbate existing issues, with Poe suggesting capacity expansion instead. She further highlighted Terminal 2's limited capacity of handling 9 million passengers compared to the current demand of over 16 million domestic passengers.[37]
Despite initial plans for implementation in August 2018, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) announced its deferment a month prior due to "unforeseen operational constraints". The plan continued to be under review with no official implementation date set;[38] however, somePhilippine Airlines (PAL) flights to North America were relocated to Terminal 1 from Terminal 2 in July to accommodate the latter's rehabilitation.[38] By October, four international airlines transferred operations to Terminal 3, freeing up space for United States flight operations at Terminal 1. Subsequently, more airlines from Terminal 1 were scheduled to relocate to Terminal 3.[39]
On December 1, 2022, the MIAA officially implemented the Schedule and Terminal Assignment Rationalization (STAR) program, when PAL began gradually transferring its international flights from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1. Likewise,Philippines AirAsia transferred its two busiest flights (Boracay–Caticlan andCebu)—from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3, to ease congestion at the former by transferring forty percent of AirAsia's daily passenger volume to the larger terminal.[40] From April to June 2023, eight foreign airlines moved to Terminal 3 to make space for PAL's international operations at T1.[41][42] These changes were designed to offer international passengers at Terminals 1 and 3 a wider selection of food and retail outlets, and additional time forduty-free shopping.[43] After PAL completed moving all its international flights to T1 on June 16, 2023,[44] Philippines AirAsia andRoyal Air Philippines began operating from Terminal 2 on July 1, thereby reverting the terminal to its original domestic design. While T2 is being expanded, Cebu Pacific's domestic and international operations remained at Terminal 3.[45] Meanwhile, flights ofAirSWIFT,SkyJet Airlines,Cebgo, andSunlight Air remained at Terminal 4.
Ahead of the airport's privatization, the New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation—a consortium led bySan Miguel Corporation—planned another set of terminal reassignments in August 2024, with an initial target implementation date before theAllhallowtide season.[46] It then announced in September the planned reassignments: Terminal 1 would exclusively serve Philippine Airlines flights, while Terminal 2 would maintain its current status as an all-domestic terminal, and Terminal 3 would be fully dedicated to international flights of Cebu Pacific, the AirAsia Group, and all foreign airlines. This would require the remaining airlines operating at Terminal 1 to transfer to Terminal 3, and Philippines AirAsia to temporarily move its domestic flights back to Terminal 4 from Terminal 2 to accommodate Cebu Pacific's domestic flights until the latter's expansion is completed.[47]
Ahead of NAIA's privatization, in July 2024, the Philippine government reportedly planned to reassignturboprop flights in Manila to secondary airports. At the time, the government had no official policy for the transfer, but Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan encouraged airlines to move its turboprop flights toClark International Airport.[48]
On December 3, 2024, the Manila Slot Coordination Committee (MSCC), a public-private regulatory committee which regulates NAIA's slots, issued a resolution to direct airlines to completely transfer itsturboprop flights out of Manila to secondary airports by October 2025. The rationalization aims to maximize the use of airport slots in Manila, which would exclusively be dedicated to jet aircraft. It would be implemented in three phases: with the MSCC requiring scheduled domestic carriers to transfer thirty percent of its turboprop flights by March 2025, followed by all such flights by October, and finally, airlines with a turboprop fleet fewer than five planes would follow suit by March 2026.[49]
The transfer also aims to maximize Clark International Airport's capacity, as it had been underserved since the opening of its expanded terminal in 2022, designed to handle eight million passengers annually.[50]Cebgo, the turboprop subsidiary ofCebu Pacific, then announced the transfer of itsMasbate andSiargao flights to Clark.[51]
On February 12, 2018, a consortium of seven conglomerates consisting ofAboitiz InfraCapital, AC Infrastructure Holdings,Alliance Global, Asia's Emerging Dragon,Filinvest Development Corporation,JG Summit Holdings, andMetro Pacific Investments Corporation (which later pulled out in March 2020) submitted a₱350 billion, orUS$6.75 billion, 35-yearunsolicited proposal to rehabilitate, expand, operate, and maintain the airport.[52][53] The consortium's proposal was divided into two phases: the improvement and expansion of terminals in the current NAIA land area and the development of an additional runway, taxiways, passenger terminals, and associated support infrastructure.Changi Airport Consultants Pte. Ltd., was to provide technical support.[54] Singapore's Changi Airport Group eyed a 30-percent stake in this venture.[55]
On July 7, 2020, the NAIA consortium's proposal was rejected by the government,[58] allowing GMR-Megawide to take over the project.[59] On December 15, however, theMIAA revoked the original proponent status (OPS) of GMR-Megawide, who then filed a motion for reconsideration.[60] The MIAA denied the motion for reconsideration.[61] In August 2022, theDepartment of Transportation (DOTr) announced plans to rebid thepublic–private partnership project within the year.[62]
Following amajor airspace closure on January 1, 2023, plans to privatize the airport were pitched again.Secretary of FinanceBenjamin Diokno supported such plans, but maintained that it should be "thoroughly studied".[63] On April 27, the Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC), composed of six organizations (Alliance Global, AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp [underAyala Corporation], Infracorp Development, Filinvest Development Corporation, and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings) submitted a ₱100 billion 25-year unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate the airport.[64][65] This proposal was subsequently rejected by the administration of PresidentBongbong Marcos on July 19, which opted to go through a solicited bidding instead.[66]
On February 16, 2024, the DOTr awarded the contract to SMC SAP & Co. Consortium, later renamed as New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC).[72] the contract was signed on March 18, witnessed by President Marcos.[73][74] NNIC offered the biggest revenue share with the government at 82.16 percent—more than double the proposed revenue shares of GMR Airports Consortium (33.30 percent) and MIAC (25.91 percent).[69] The consortium also made the initial₱30 billion payment to the government. With the privatization, the national government is expected to earn₱900 billion, or₱36 billion annually.[75] On September 14, 2024, theManila International Airport Authority turned over the operations and maintenance of the airport to NNIC.[76] While SMC is constructingNew Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan, it decided to instead prioritize the rehabilitation of NAIA over the construction of the NMIA.[77]
The turnover was followed by a series of airport fee hikes. On October 1, NNIC increased parking fees. The overnight parking fees, which quadrupled from 300 to 1,200pesos, drew criticism from motorists; however, both NNIC and the DOTr defended the move, as it is designed to deter the misuse of parking slots. According to NNIC, previous parking rates were used by non-passengers, which contributed to congestion. Nevertheless, NNIC is developing a 4-hectare (9.9-acre) area near Terminal 3 for a 2,500-slot parking space.[78] On the same day, it increased takeoff andlanding fees,[79] causingPhilippine Airlines,Cebu Pacific, andPhilippines AirAsia to propose a "terminal enhancement fee" to cover the higher fees, pending approval of theCivil Aeronautics Board.[80] Additionally, passenger service charges are expected to increase in September 2025 — the first increase since 2000.[81]
Front façade of Terminal 1 (Ninoy Aquino Terminal)
Covering 73,000 square meters (790,000 sq ft), Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was designed to handle six million passengers annually. It is often referred to as theNinoy Aquino Terminal, as it was the site of the former senator'sassassination in 1983. The terminal, opened in 1982,[21] is the airport's second oldest and exclusively handles international flights.
The development of the Manila International Airport, which includes Terminal 1, was approved byExecutive Order No. 381 immediately after the former airport was destroyed by a fire a month earlier.[83] The project's feasibility study and master plan were conducted by the Airways Engineering Corporation in 1973, supported by a US$29.6 million loan from theAsian Development Bank (ADB).[84] The detailed engineering design was created by Renardet-Sauti/Transplan/F.F. Cruz Consultant, and the architectural design was developed byLeandro Locsin's L.V. Locsin and Associates.[85] In 1974, the designs were approved by thePhilippine government and the ADB. Construction began in the second quarter of 1978 on a site close to the original Manila Airport, within the jurisdiction ofParañaque, then amunicipality of Metro Manila.
Back façade of Terminal 1
By 1991, Terminal 1 reached its capacity with a total passenger volume of 4.53 million. From that year, the terminal has been over capacity, recording an annual average growth rate of 11%.[85] To accommodate this, improvements have been made, increasing its capacity to six million passengers.[86] In the same year, an extension arrival area was constructed at the ground level to decongest the terminal's original arrivals area.[87] The main arrivals curbside was later designated for VIPs and passengers with special requests until 2025, where it was reopened to all passengers.[88][89]
From 2011 to 2013, Terminal 1 was ranked among the worst airports in Asia by the travel websiteThe Guide to Sleeping In Airports.[9] As a result, plans were developed to rehabilitate the terminal, including expanding the arrival area, adding parking spaces, and enhancing facilities.[90] Renovations began on January 23, 2014.[91] Part of the project involved the installation ofbuckling restrained braces to enhance the building's structural integrity.[92]
Terminal 2, situated at the end of the old MIA Road (nowNAIA Road), covers an area of 75,000 square meters (810,000 sq ft). Construction began in December 1995,[95] and the terminal started operating in 1999. It received the nameCentennial Terminal in commemoration of thecentennial year ofPhilippine independence. French companyAéroports de Paris (ADP) initially designed the terminal for domestic use, but later modified the design to accommodate international flights.[96] With 12jet bridges, the terminal can accommodate 2.5 million passengers per year in its north wing and five million in its south wing, for a total of 7.5 million passengers per year.[96] After its conversion to a domestic terminal in 2023, its capacity was increased to ten million.[41][97]
TheFrench government funded a study that led to the terminal's construction and submitted the review to the Philippine government in 1990.[85] In 1991, the French government provided a 30-million-francsoft loan to the Philippine government to fund the detailed architectural and engineering design. ADP finished the design in 1992. TheJapanese government followed suit in 1994, providing an¥18.12-billion soft loan to the Philippine government to finance 75% of the construction costs and the entirety of the supervision costs. The construction of the terminal officially began on December 11, 1995, and the Philippine government took over the completed terminal on December 28, 1998. The terminal became fully operational in 1999.[98]
In August 2014, authorities announced a plan to expand Terminal 2, incorporating a structure to interconnect Terminals 1 and 2.[99] In order to do so, the plan called for demolishing the adjacent unusedPhilippine Village Hotel complex and relocating a fuel depot, as well as the international cargo complex.[100] Rehabilitation of the terminal began in September 2018,[101] and by February 16, 2021, the partially expanded Terminal 2 was inaugurated, adding 2,800 square meters (30,000 sq ft) to the terminal area. However, Terminal 2 has not been interconnected with Terminal 1 yet, nor have the adjacent complexes been demolished.[102] In 2024, the New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC) announced that it will interconnect the two terminals after demolishing the hotel and relocating the fuel farm and the cargo terminal as part of its rehabilitation plan. This plan will increase the terminal's capacity by about 23 million passengers.[103]
From 1999 to 2023, flag carrierPhilippine Airlines and its domestic subsidiaryPAL Express exclusively used Terminal 2. It facilitated both domestic and international flights for these airlines, notwithstanding the operation of select PAL Express flights from Terminal 3 from 2012 to 2018.[104] On June 16, 2023, PAL moved its international flights to Terminal 1, leaving its domestic flights at Terminal 2. This allowed the entry of low-cost carriers and former Terminal 4 usersPhilippines AirAsia andRoyal Air Philippines on July 1, thereby converting T2 to exclusively serve domestic flights.[41]
Terminal 3 departure drop-offDomestic airside of Terminal 3
Terminal 3, the newest and largest terminal, covers 182,500 square meters (1,964,000 sq ft) and extends 1.2 kilometers (0.75 mi),[96] occupying a 63.5-hectare (157-acre) site onVillamor Air Base. With construction beginning in 1997, the terminal partially opened on July 22, 2008,[105] increasing the airport's capacity by 13 million passengers.[106] The terminal's development, part of the 1989 expansion plan, commenced in 1997 but was beleaguered by legal battles,red tape, and arbitration cases in the United States and Singapore, as well as technical and safety issues including repeated incidents of collapsed ceilings[107] that led to repeated delays.[29] Japan-basedTakenaka Corporation undertook the terminal's rehabilitation, and it became fully operational on July 31, 2014.[108][30]
The construction of a third terminal was proposed by Asia's Emerging Dragon Corporation (AEDP).[109] AEDP eventually lost the bid to PairCargo and its partnerFraport AG of Germany.[109] Originally scheduled to open in 2002, a contract dispute between the government of the Philippines and the project's main contractor, Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco), delayed its completion.[29] While the original agreement allowed PairCargo and Fraport AG to operate the airport for several years after its construction, followed by a government handover, the government offered to buy out Fraport AG for US$400 million, to which Fraport agreed. However, before the terminal could be completed, PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo called the contract "onerous" and formed a committee to evaluate the buyout agreement. The contracts were declarednull and void by theSupreme Court in May 2003,[110] the Philippine government took over the terminal in December 2004.[111] Piatco sued the Philippine government before theInternational Chamber of Commerce (ICC), while Fraport separately sued the government at theInternational Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).[112] The ICSID decided in August 2007 in favor of the government, while in January 2012, the ICC case became final and executory in favor of the government.[113]
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) designed the US$640 million terminal, which has 20 jet bridges and fourremote gates served byapron buses. The terminal's apron area spans 147,400 square meters (1,587,000 sq ft) and can service up to 32 aircraft simultaneously.[114] It has the capacity to serve 33,000 passengers per day or 6,000 per hour.[115] Since April 2017, a 220-meter (720 ft) long indoorfootbridge called Runway Manila has been connecting the terminal toNewport City.[116]
Exterior of Terminal 4's landside portionPre-departure area of Terminal 4
Constructed in 1948, Terminal 4, also known as theManila Domestic Passenger Terminal or theOld Domestic Terminal, was the first and original structure of the airport, as well as its oldest and smallest terminal.[126] Positioned on the old Airport Road, the Domestic Terminal was located near the north end of Runway 13/31.[127]
Philippines AirAsia was a primary user of Terminal 4 from 2013 to 2023. In December 2022, to decongest the terminal, it transferred its two busiest flights—toCebu andBoracay (Caticlan)—to Terminal 3, while all other domestic flights remained at T4.[128] It continued to operate under this scheme until all flights were transferred to Terminal 2 on July 1, 2023.[41][129]
In response to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the airport authority closed Terminal 4 to minimize operating costs, while the remaining three terminals resumed operations in June 2020 upon the lifting of theenhanced community quarantine in Luzon.[132] During its temporary closure, the terminal was utilized as avaccination site for airport employees. As such, AirAsia temporarily transferred its domestic operations to Terminal 3. After a two-year hiatus, Terminal 4 reopened on March 28, 2022.[133]
Under NNIC's management, Terminal 4 temporarily closed on November 6, 2024, to give way for major renovations until February 2025. As such, AirSWIFT, Cebgo, and Sunlight Air relocated to Terminal 2.[134] However, NNIC halted its renovation on the terminal, wherein demolition works began at the start of late February 2025. The demolition was done as part of a broader land optimization plan to create space for a new taxiway that will enhance aircraft movement between Terminals 1, 2, and 3.[135] The existing structure, which faces the domestic runway, is now set to be demolished as the NNIC identified it as a safety hazard following the crash ofJeju Air Flight 2216 in South Korea. T4 is set to be relocated to the current International Cargo Terminal building.[136]
Under NNIC's management, Terminal 5 would be built next to Terminal 2. With demolition in progress at the Philippine Village Hotel, tree clearing has also started at theNayong Pilipino complex.[135] Terminal 5 is expected to be complete by 2029.[137]
NAIA's primary runway is 3,514 meters (11,529 ft) long and 60 meters (200 ft) wide, running at a true bearing of 060.3°/240.3° (designated as Runway 06/24). Its secondary runway is 2,249 meters (7,379 ft) long and 45 meters (148 ft) wide, running at 134.8°/314.8° (designated as Runway 13/31). The primary runway was oriented at 06/24 to harness thesoutheast and southwest winds. Of the 550 daily flights, 100 take the secondary runway. It mainly caters to private planes and narrowbody aircraft such as theATR 72-500, Airbus A320, and Airbus A321, and acts as the main runway of the NAIA Terminal 4.[138]
Runway 13/31 closed in 2020 for rehabilitation.[139] The runway was reopened on February 16, 2021, along with a newly constructed taxiway.[140]
In 2014,Transportation and Communications SecretaryJoseph Abaya proposed a new runway adjacent to the existing Runway 06/24.[141] The proposed runway has a length of 2,100 meters (6,900 ft) that could allow the landing of anAirbus A320 and increase capacity from 40 planes per hour to 60–70.[142] A Dutch consultant hired by the government also suggested to build another terminal to cause less disruptions to the general public.[143]
TheNAIA Road (Ninoy Aquino International Airport Road), formerly known and still commonly referred to as theMIA Road (Manila International Airport Road), is a short 8-10 lane divided highway connectingRoxas Boulevard and theManila–Cavite Expressway (R-1) with NAIA. It is also a major local road that links the cities ofPasay andParañaque running approximately 2.5 kilometers (1.6 mi) underneath the elevatedNAIA Expressway from R-1 inTambo, Parañaque to NAIA Terminal 2 in Pasay. En route, it intersects, from west to east,Quirino Avenue,Domestic Road, andNinoy Aquino Avenue. The road ends at the entrance of NAIA Terminal 2.
The road also houses a small strip of shops across from the former Coastal Mall, Tambo Elementary School at Quirino Avenue, Park 'N Fly at Domestic Road, and theold Nayong Pilipino (site of the future NAIA Terminal 5)[145] close to Terminal 2. The oldNAIA Terminal 1 is accessible by turning south at Ninoy Aquino Avenue, which also leads to the Duty Free FiestaMall and continues on toSucat asDr. Santos Avenue. The new Terminal 3, on the other hand, is located onAndrews Avenue which can be accessed from Domestic Road. The road was originally named as MIA Road and was only renamed in 1987 when the airport was renamed in honor of the late SenatorNinoy Aquino, who wasassassinated there in 1983.
Aircraft ofPhilippine Airlines parked next to the maintenance hangars of Lufthansa Technik Philippines
Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) (formerly PAL Technical Center) was founded in 2000 as a joint venture of German firmLufthansa Technik (51%) and Philippine aviation service providerMacroAsia Corporation (49%). Lufthansa Technik Philippines offers customers aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services.
The company performs maintenance checks for theAirbus A320 family andA330/A340 aircraft. Seven hangar bays and workshops provide industry standard maintenance, major modifications, cabin reconfigurations, engine maintenance, and painting for the A320 family, A330/A340, as well as theBoeing 747-400 and777 aircraft. A new widebody hangar was recently added to meet the increasing demand for A330/A340 maintenance.
The company also opened anAirbus A380 maintenance hangar to allow the aircraft to be repaired at the airport facility.[146][147] It also provides technical and engineering support for the entirePhilippine Airlines fleet and other international airline fleets.[148]
Aviation Partnership (Philippines) Corporation is Cebu Pacific third-line maintenance. It was a former joint venture ofSIA Engineering Company (51%) andCebu Pacific Air (49%) until November 2020 when Cebu Pacific decide to take 100% ownership of the company. It provides line maintenance, light aircraft checks, technical ramp handling, and other services to Cebu Pacific Air and third-party airline customers.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) operates the PAL Learning Center within the airport's premises. The center includes training facilities for pilots andcabin crew,catering services, a data center, and anAirbus A320flight simulator.[149]
Philippine Airlines also maintains integrated airport ground handling services, cargo operations and a full catering service for it and other airlines.[178] This is composed of PAL Airport Services, Philippine Airlines Cargo and the PAL Inflight Center.
Based at both the Centennial Terminal (Terminal 2) and International Cargo Terminal of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, PAL Airport Services offers ground handling for seven international airlines calling at Manila, while Philippine Airlines Cargo processes and ships an average of 200 tonnes of Manila publications and 2 tonnes of mail daily throughout the country and 368 tonnes of cargo abroad daily.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found onPhabricator and onMediaWiki.org.
Annual passenger traffic at MNL airport.SeeWikidata query.
UBE Express "Route 43/PITX-NAIA Loop" buses operate services between the airport terminals and Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX). The inbound route travels from Terminal 3 to PITX via Terminal 4, Terminal 2 and Terminal 1. The outbound route travels from PITX to Terminal 3 via Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Terminal 4.
On December 8, 2024, NNIC opened a hub forridesharing services at the multi-level parking building of Terminal 3 to ease congestion along the arrivals road.[184]
Repeated efforts to rename the airport have not succeeded. In May 2018, then lawyerLarry Gadon led an onlinepetition atchange.org aiming to restore the original name of the airport,Manila International Airport (MIA). Gadon said the renaming of MIA to NAIA in 1987 was "well in advance of the 10-year prescription period for naming public sites after dead personalities".[186]
In August 2020, Gadon filed a petition before theSupreme Court questioning the validity of Republic Act No. 6639, the law that named it NAIA. Gadon asserted that Aquino was not among the "pantheon" of the country's declaredofficial heroes. A month later, the Supreme Court unanimously denied the petition to nullify the law forlack of merit.[188]
In April 2022,Duterte Youth Representative Ducielle Cardema filed a bill returning the airport to its original name, claiming the name should not have been "politicized in the first place".[189] Cardema had the bill refiled in July 2022.[190]
In June 2022,Negros Oriental3rd district RepresentativeArnolfo Teves Jr. filed a bill renaming the airport toFerdinand E. Marcos International Airport after former PresidentFerdinand Marcos Sr., who authorized the airport's rehabilitation and development through anexecutive order in 1972.[191] Teves stressed that it is "more appropriate to rename it to the person who has contributed to the idea and execution of the said noble project".[192] The bill drew criticism from former senatorFranklin Drilon, who said that the renaming would entailhistorical revisionism.[193]
In February 2024, Transportation SecretaryJaime Bautista said that renaming the airport was not included in the privatization proposals of theSan Miguel Corporation-SAP and Company Consortium, which won the bid to operate and maintain the airport.[194]
On July 25, 1971, aPan American World AirwaysBoeing 707-321C named "Clipper Rising Sun" was on a cargo flight fromSan Francisco toSaigon. While on aVOR/DME approach onto Manila runway 24, the aircraft struck Mount Kamunay at an altitude of 770 meters (2,525 ft). The four occupants were killed.[195]
On November 15, 1974, an Orient Air System and Integrated Services Douglas C-47Aregistered RP-C570 was damaged beyond repair after a forced landing in a paddy field shortly after take-off following failure of the starboard engine. One of the eight people on board was killed.[196]
On September 15, 1981, aKorean AirlinesBoeing 747 originating fromSeoul, South Korea, and bound forZürich,Switzerland, overshot the runway during takeoff and hit the airport perimeter fence, with its nose blocking traffic on the service road ofSouth Luzon Expressway. The plane had a one-hour layover in Manila when the accident happened. Forty of the 332 passengers and 20 crew were injured.[198][199]
On December 13, 1983, a PhilairDouglas C-47B registered RP-C287 crashed shortly after takeoff following an engine failure. The aircraft was on a non-scheduled passenger flight. All ten people on board survived.[200]
On April 28, 1989, a MATS Douglas C-47A registered RP-C81 crashed shortly after takeoff on a non-scheduled domestic passenger flight toRoxas Airport following an engine failure. MATS did not have a licence to fly passengers. Seven of the 22 passengers were killed. The aircraft had earlier made a forced landing on a taxiway.[201]
On May 6, 1989, a Manila Aero Transport System (MATS) Douglas C-47A registered RP-C82 crashed on takeoff following an engine failure. The aircraft was on a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight, although it was not licensed to carry passengers. All 18 people on board survived.[202]
On July 21, 1989, aPhilippine AirlinesBAC One-Eleven operatingFlight 124 overran a runway in poor visibility and heavy rain. No passengers or crew were killed but eight people on the ground were killed when the jet crossed a road.[203]
On May 11, 1990, a Philippine AirlinesBoeing 737-300 operatingFlight 143 suffered an explosion in the center fuel tank near the terminal while preparing for takeoff. The fire and smoke engulfed the aircraft before it could be evacuated. The explosion was similar to what happened toTWA Flight 800 six years later. Eight people died.[204]
On September 4, 2002, anAsian Spiritde Havilland Canada Dash 7-102 operating Flight 897 to Caticlan carrying 49 occupants was on approach toCaticlan Airport when the right main gear failed to deploy. The approach was abandoned and the crew decided to return to Manila for an emergency landing. The plane circled for about 35 minutes overLas Piñas to burn off fuel. The crew then carried out an emergency landing with the right gear retracted. After touchdown, the aircraft swerved off the runway onto a grassy area. There were no reported injuries or fatalities, but the aircraft was written off.[206]
On November 11, 2002, aLaoag International AirlinesFokker F27 operatingFlight 585 took off from Manila runway 31 just after 6 o'clock for a flight toLaoag International Airport. Shortly after takeoff, trouble developed in the left engine. The pilot declared an emergency and attempted to land, but decided at the last minute to ditch into the sea. The aircraft broke up and sank in the water to a depth of about 18 meters (60 ft). 19 of the 34 occupants were killed.[207]
On November 8, 2003, formerAir Transportation Office chief Panfilo Villaruel andPhilippine Navy lieutenant Richard Gatchillar seized the control tower of Terminal 2 around midnight armed with guns and explosives, claiming that they wanted to expose government corruption. They forced out all six air traffic controllers and barricaded themselves inside the control room, causing the diversion of several flights. After three hours, policeSWAT teams stormed the control room and opened fire, killing both men.[208]
On August 23, 2009, aSouth East Asian AirlinesDornier 328 registered RP-C6328 operating Flight 624 was hit by strong crosswinds when decelerating after landing on runway 13. The aircraft veered off the runway and came to a stop in the grass. None of the 32 passengers and 3 crew was injured. The airport had to be temporarily closed to tow the aircraft away.[209]
On December 10, 2011, aBeechcraft 65–80 Queen Air cargo plane en route toSan Josecrashed into houses next to Felixberto Serrano Elementary School inParañaque after taking off. The crash was attributed to pilot error. At least 14 people including 3 crew members on board the aircraft died, and over 20 were injured. Approximately 50 houses in the residential area were set ablaze.[211]
On December 20, 2013, gunmen ambushed Ukol Talumpa, the mayor ofLabangan,Zamboanga del Sur, in front of the arrival hall of Terminal 3, killing him, his wife and two others and injuring five people.[212]
On August 16, 2018,Xiamen Airlines Flight 8667 crash-landed amidst heavy monsoon rains. The 737-800 skidded off the end of the runway. All 157 passengers and crew were unharmed, however, the aircraft was written off.[213] According toFlightradar24 data, the flight aborted its first landing attempt.[214]
On March 29, 2020, aLionairIAI Westwind registered RP-C5880 burst into flames on runway 24 during takeoff. The plane was conducting a medical evacuation mission bound forHaneda Airport, Japan. All eight occupants consisting of three aircraft crew, three medical crew, and two passengers died.[215]
On April 22, 2024, agrass fire caused by improperly disposedcigarette butts broke out during dry weather at an open-air parking space owned by the airport located about 300 meters (980 ft) from Terminal 3, destroying 19 vehicles.[216][217]
^Runway 06 is 3,514 meters (11,529 ft) long with a Clearway of 150 meters (490 ft) and has adisplaced threshold of 105 meters (344 ft). Runway 24 is 3,514 meters (11,529 ft) long with a Stopway of 105 meters (344 ft) and clearway of 220 meters (720 ft).
^Runway 13 is 2,249 meters (7,379 ft) long with clearway of 150 meters (490 ft) andrunway end safety area included in strip length of 90 meters (300 ft).
^Ethiopian Airlines flights make an intermediate stop in Hong Kong en route to the listed destination. However, the airline has nofifth freedom rights to carry passengers solely between Manila and Hong Kong.
^KLM flights make an intermediate stop in Taipei en route to the listed destination. However, the airline has no fifth freedom rights to carry passengers solely between Manila and Taipei.
^Go, Marianne (May 20, 2024)."The future NAIA".The Philippine Star.Archived from the original on December 11, 2024. RetrievedMay 25, 2024.
^abMontecillo, Paolo (October 27, 2012)."PAL to fly out of Naia 3, too".Philippine Daily Inquirer.Archived from the original on December 11, 2024. RetrievedJuly 5, 2023.
^abFarolan, Ramon (August 17, 2011)."Impossible Dream".Philippine Daily Inquirer.Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. RetrievedSeptember 13, 2014.
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