NAIA Terminal 3 Manila

Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 - This photo only courtesy of wipedia's eternal oraeon.

NAIA check-in counters. This photo only courtesy of wikipedia's Sky Harbor.

Terminal 3 heralds the advent of convenient check-ins and arrivals in Manila. The terminal is spacious and eye-friendly and has conveniently diffused the chaos that usually characterizes a Manila airport experience. Terminal 3 is the newest and biggest terminal in the NAIA complex, wherein construction started in 1997. It was one of the most controversial projects the Philippine government has become involved with. I actually like this terminal, as everything feels relaxed and convenient - even the domestic flights that depart and arrive here feel international. You just pray those pesky ceilings won't fall down on you! LOL

Here are some facts from Wikipedia:

The original proposal for the construction of a third terminal was proposed by Asia's Emerging Dragon Corporation (AEDP). AEDP eventually lost the bid to PairCargo and its partner Fraport AG of Germany, who went on to begin construction of the terminal under the administration of then Philippine President Joseph Estrada.

The ultra-modern US$640 million, 189,000 square meter facility was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) to have a capacity of 13 million passengers per year. Terminal 3 is built on a 63.5-hectare lot that sits on Villamor Air Base. The terminal building has a total floor area of 182,500 m², having a total length of 1.2 kilometers. A four-level shopping mall connects the terminal and parking buildings.

This terminal handles all flights operated by Cebu Pacific, as well as flights operated by Philippine Airlines' subsidiaries, Air Philippines and PAL Express.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

One of the international predeparture areas.

One of the fine-dining restaurants servicing the predeparture area.

Arrival from an international flight, right after immigration formalities. Down below is where you secure your checked baggage.

Baggage conveyors. Those yellow counters at the foreground are the custom check counters - if you have anything to declare.

NAIA 3's facade and arrival area- the huge numbered posts is a numbered Bay Waiting Area which tourists can use as reference to meeting people.

St. Peter's Chapel, the toffee-colored church right across NAIA 3, is also home of St. Therese Columbarium. It is hard to miss and is always a welcome sight.

Down below is my photoblog using my phone. It's a cool service but rather inconvenient.

Hate long waits at the airport, but this has become bearable at the newest NAIA terminal. You just wish they alloted enough budget to actually dab paint on those concrete structures outside. Without paint, they seem unfinished or ran out of budget! You would have thought that with a budget of $640 million, they would allot a fraction of that for paint.

More photos on NAIA Terminal 3 - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2010/02/more-naia-terminal-3-and-rude-skies-of.html

UPDATE on NAIA 3: February 2011 Feature on NAIA Terminal 3

- http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/02/naia-terminal-3-departure-hall-up-close.html

For queries and a whisper: eyeintheblueskyblog@yahoo.com.