Travelers landing at the new Clark International Airport Terminal will be greeted by the majestic view of Mount Arayat in the east and the Sacobia mountain ranges in the west.
Upon entering the terminal, guests are greeted by awesome cathedral ceilings that mimic the jagged stone wall of Central Luzon’s majestic caves. The ceiling is made of laminated wood from Austrian spruce trees.
The new airport terminal features accents of green and blue that emulate the greenery and the landscape of Central Luzon. The green represents the landscape of Mt. Arayat, which faces the domestic boarding gates, while blue represents the waters of Manila Bay, which faces the international boarding gates.
These silhouettes of nature meet modern as the new airport terminal features state-of-the-art facilities such as the self-service kiosks for passenger check in. There is no need to touch the kiosk screens because passengers will only need to scan a QR code that will help them navigate the check-in system and print their boarding pass using their mobile phones.
The contact-less ordering system is also in place for the airport’s lounges and restaurants. Ordering food can be done via QR codes.
Accessible and inclusive
The new terminal is made truly accessible and inclusive. Restrooms include Family Rooms, are gender-neutral, and friendly to passengers with restricted mobility (PRM). There are also escalators and elevators in all boarding gates, providing seamless access for all passengers.
There is a transfer desk for international passengers at the new terminal. Unlike in the past where passengers from Kansai had to pick up their luggage and pass through immigration and re-check in for their Singapore flight, this time, upon arrival, they can simply use the transfer desk, and go straight up to the airport’s event place.
The new terminal also features state-of-the-art intelligent Advanced Visual Docking Guidance System, which allows pilots to park aircrafts precisely and safely even in adverse weather conditions, using advanced laser technology.
Such “sense of place” elements, which showcase Filipino hospitality, culture, nature and heritage, place a strong emphasis on operational efficiency, relaxing customer facilities and unique concepts that made the airport one of the finalists in the 2021 World Selection of the Prix Versailles Architecture and Design Awards under the Airport Category.
DOT-media familiarization tour
Clark International Airport is an international airport covering portions of the cities of Angeles and Mabalacat within the Clark Freeport Zone in the province of Pampanga.
All flights arriving and departing from Clark transferred to its new terminal starting May 2. The new terminal was completed in October 2020. President Rodrigo Duterte inspected the 110,000-square meter new Clark terminal building in July 2021.
At the time of the media visit last May 5, passengers were seen boarding or embarking from Jetstar, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.
“We have put a lot of effort into making our passengers’ journey as seamless as possible through the terminal and getting to and from our airport,” said LIPAD (Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp). chief executive officer Bi Yong Chungunco. LIPAD is the operator of the Clark International Airport New Terminal.
Clark International Airport’s new terminal can accommodate up to eight million passengers per year, almost doubling the 4.2 million capacity of the old terminal.
Investment exchange
The fam tour was part of the first Central Luzon Tourism Investment Summit and Business Exchange (CLTISBEX), a two-day event held at Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort.
The summit, spearheaded by the Department of Tourism Region (DOT) III, together with Tourism Promotions Board Philippines and Subic-Clark Alliance for Development (SCAD), presented the tourism investment portfolios and unique offerings that make Central Luzon an ideal tourism and investment destination.
The new Clark International Airport is the fruit of the first public-private partnership awarded under the Duterte Administration.
It’s a key architecture, symbolic almost, of the energies invested in New Clark: the envisioned first green, sustainable, and intentionally disaster-resilient city in the country, according to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.