Philippine Airlines wants president-in-waiting Rodrigo Duterte to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by building a new one in Pasay City or nearby area and further develop the Clark International Airport.
“We hope there would be a better airport and aviation-related infrastructure so that we can continue to grow because the open skies will be implemented and for us to be able to enjoy the benefit of the Asean open skies, we should have the facilities that we need,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista told reporters Tuesday night.
He said the Naia was congested with over 40 movements per hour, “so we cannot grow the market.”
The Transportation Department earlier proposed the construction of an international airport in Sangley, Cavite province, while conglomerate San Miguel Corp. was looking at a reclamation area in Manila Bay.
Bautista said PAL was taking delivery of more airplanes that would require additional aviation infrastructure.
“If there would be no infrastructure and if there are no support infrastructure, our airplanes would just be parked. Our investment would be a waste,” he added.
PAL earlier signed a $1.8-billion aircraft purchase agreement with Airbus for six A350-900 jets, with six purchase options, worth another $1.8 billion.
The first A350 is scheduled to be delivered in 2018, which will be used on new routes to North America and Europe.
PAL is also expecting the delivery of five A32s and two Boeing 777-300 ER this year.
The PAL executive said the new government should further develop the Clark airport.
“It’s ready but it lacks some infrastructure like fueling facilities should be improved. There should be more support industries. For example, airline catering, airline ground handling, maintenance and engineering. There should be more of those industries or companies in Clark,” Bautista said.
Airlines operating in Clark include Qatar Airways, Cebu Pacific, Emirates Airlines, TigerAir, Jin Air, Asiana Airlines, Dragon Air and AirAsia Berhad.
PAL parent firm PAL Holdings Inc. earlier reported a net profit of P2.71 billon in the January-to-March period, down 28 percent from P3.78 billion registered in the same period last year.
Revenues rose 4.1 percent to P29.12 billion in the first quarter from last year’s P27.98 billion.
Passenger revenues increased to P24.65 billion from P23.09 billion, while cargo revenues fell 31 percent to P1.47 billion.