No need to level playing field at NAIA 2 – PAL

Philippine Airlines today said that Centennial Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport has been open for the use of other carriers all along and thus there is no need to “level the playing field.”

PAL issued the statement in the wake of published reports that it enjoyed exclusive use of the facility at the expense of other airlines.

PAL pointed out that Terminal 2 has been available to other carriers since it opened for business in August 1999 but only the flag carrier took up the government’s offer to locate there.

The airline moved to Terminal 2 after seeing the advantage offered by the facility for seamless connections between its domestic and international operations.

In fact, PAL has long expressed its willingness to sign a formal contract to cover its occupancy of the terminal but airport authorities have yet to act on the matter.

The other carriers opted to remain at their present bases for reasons of their own.

PAL said that it was the prerogative of airport authorities to accept additional airline customers at Terminal 2.

The flag carrier noted, however, that the terminal was already stretched to capacity to accommodate its 34-aircraft operations.

During peak hours of the day, all 12 gates of Terminal 2 are occupied and some of PAL’s aircraft have to be remotely parked, it observed.