Manila: Changes in the airline terminal assignment are crucial to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the head of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said Wednesday. "The primary goal is to decongest the terminals," MIAA General Manager Eric Ines told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.

According to Philippines News Agency, the airport operator targets the completion of the new Terminal 4 on the International Cargo Terminal by June 2026. Terminal 4 will be occupied by all domestic flights of AirAsia Philippines, and half of the domestic flights of Cebu Pacific (CEB). The other half of CEB domestic flights will be stationed at Terminal 2, which also houses Philippine Airlines' (PAL) domestic flights.

Ines stated that the plan is to gradually make Terminal 3 exclusive for international flights, except for those of low-cost carriers CEB and AirAsia. This transition will begin by March 29, when flights of Air China, Shenzhen Airlines, China Eastern, Vietnam Airlines, and Royal Brunei will operate at Terminal 3 instead of Terminal 1. Additionally, Japan Airlines flights will transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 beginning April 1. Meanwhile, flights of AirAsia will relocate from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1 by March 29.

Furthermore, Ines noted that operator New NAIA Infra Corp. will soon commence the construction of Terminal 5 on the site of the demolished Philippine Village Hotel. However, he admitted that the specific usage of this terminal for domestic or international flights remains undecided. The airline terminal changes were initially initiated by former MIAA General Manager Cesar Chiong in December 2022 to optimize the airport's capacity, under whose leadership Terminal 2 was converted into an all-domestic facility.