Improving Clark airport's viability

EYES WIDE OPEN

- IRIS GONZALES

If you're used to traveling out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for local and international trips, you would know for sure just how stressful it is, especially before the San Miguel Corp.-led consortium took over.

The chaos begins long before you actually reach your gate. It begins in the slow-moving queue to get to the parking lot, and then in the snaking line outside as you go through security. By the time you reach the next battleground, which is the check-in counter, you are already tired, especially if it's peak season for travel.

Fortunately, the SMC-led New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) has now been putting in place various measures to improve NAIA, and the changes are palpable —no more queues to get to the parking, more efficient flows to the departure and arrival bays and faster security checks.

But to those who want to experience a really decongested airport, the Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga is one option. There's more than enough parking for everyone, security is a breeze and the check-in counters are flowing. There are enough options for food, and the immigration counters are easy.

I know because I experienced this firsthand during a recent flight abroad.

But there is a catch.

The problem with flying out of Clark Airport is not the distance, because it's a bearable 2.5 to three hours, but its accessibility, especially for those without private cars to bring them to the gateway or to fetch them upon arrival.