By Roderick T. dela Cruz

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, which was designed for 13 million passengers a year, is now on half its capacity mainly on budget flights, said airport officials.

Opened on July 22 last year, the terminal has since hosted domestic flights of Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines and PAL Express. On Aug. 1, Cebu Pacific Air?s international operations was added.

The Manila International Airport Authority, which operates Naia terminals, targets to transfer all international flights to Terminal 3 from the old Terminal 1 and the Terminal 2 this year.

Terminal 1, which was refurbished last year, continues to serve all the international flights of airlines except Cebu Pacific while Terminal 2 takes in domestic and international flights of Philippine Airlines.

MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi said Terminal 3?s performance was commendable.

?The Naia Terminal 3 is now handling about half of its designed capacity of 13 million passengers yearly,? he said.

Tirso Serrano, MIAA assistant general manager for airport development and corporate affairs, says Naia continues to be the principal international gateway of the country, despite the emergence of new major airports such as the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga.

Serrano said the Naia complex handled last year about 90 percent of all international flights.

?If we were to consider total passenger traffic in the country, that is, including domestic passenger movement, Naia accounted for about 75 percent,? he added.

In its year-end report, MIAA cited useful improvements and service enhancements at the Naia complex, including expanded departure lobby of Terminal 1, re-layouting of the terminal passenger movement areas, new metered yellow taxi cabs, free shuttle service between terminals, new concierge and enhanced meet-and-assist services, new security equipment and other facility and housekeeping upgrades.

?For the various international airlines... we are always compliant with all the appropriate international standards governing civil aviation, such as those of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United States? Transportation Security Administration and the International Aviation Transport Association,? Cusi said.