Preparing the refreshed Clark International Airport to welcome the world

^{By Grace Cheung}

Nestled in Northern Philippines is Clark International Airport’s (CRK) brand-new passenger terminal, set to be a premier gateway connecting the Philippines and the world. The refreshed CRK, when open, will accelerate business growth and promote tourism activities in Central and Northern Luzon, an important economic region in the Philippines.

Changi Airports International (CAI) and its partners have been developing CRK through its operating company, Luzon International Premiere Airport Development (LIPAD) Corporation. In December 2018, the consortium won a 25-year concession to operate CRK. The goal is clear: to elevate CRK to world-class standards, so that it will be an airport that would make all Filipinos proud.

The new CRK terminal is one of the first in the Philippines to deploy a full suite of contactless passenger solutions, from 24/7 self-service check-in kiosks and automated bag drops, to a state-of-the-art baggage handling system and integrated security screening. A new Airport Operations Control Centre will also be set up to improve communication and coordination between multiple airport stakeholders, allowing for quick response to faults, disruptions, and other incidents.

Andrew Tan, Director and Head of Operations at CAI, was recently in Clark with the rest of the Changi team to oversee the Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) trials to prepare the new terminal for public opening. Changi Journeys (CJs) caught up with Andrew to understand the challenges of conducting these readiness trials in Covid-19 times. The full interview and the original version of this article can be viewed here.