The premier airport’s congestion is expected to ease shortly with the inauguration on Friday (December 18) of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s (Naia) taxiway extension, code named “November,” from a length of 610 meters to 1,500 meters, which would allow connection to another taxiway code named “Charlie.”
The Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) announced that the taxiway is in front of the tarmac of the Naia 3.
“The P452-million extension project aims to further decongest the taxiway—particularly at the intersection of the runways—and to facilitate ground-handling flexibility of international operations,” the Miaa Media Affairs Division (Mad) said in a statement.
Construction began in November 2014 and was completed in October this year.
Communications Secretary Emilio Joseph A. Abaya was invited to attend the event as the guest of honor.
The Miaa invited the media to cover the event.
Due to the increased number of airplane fleets by local air carriers, including increased frequency of international airlines, air traffic at the Naia had shot up considerably over the years, leading to congestions. This, despite the increased parking aprons provided by the Naia’s four passenger terminals.
The increased length of the taxiway, along runway 13-31 and activation of the rapid-exit taxiway on runway 06-24, would hopefully do away with congestions that, in the past, forced aircraft to wait for as long as one hour, Mad said.
“A rapid-exit taxiway branches out of the main runway in a slightly diagonal direction before joining the taxiway, allowing aircraft to exit at a faster clip and permitting succeeding airplanes to land or depart in a shorter space of time,” Mad added.
This is in contrast to previous taxiways that were constructed at a 90-degree angle to the runway, which forced airplanes to make a full stop before turning into the runway, consuming much time between landings.
Currently, the intersecting design of the Naia runways requires at least one minute and 40 seconds to exit but with the proposed construction of the rapid-exit taxiway, this would be shortened to one minute.
The new taxiways will increase the number of hourly landings and takeoffs from its current 40 to 60 aircraft movement, Mad said.