Turboprop hiccup trims Clark passenger outlook

Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD), operator of Clark International Airport, has lowered its full-year passenger target to 3 million from 3.2 million after the long-planned transfer of turboprop flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport was delayed until next year.

“We were looking at 3.2 million to end this year. Based on the numbers that we have, it’s now 3 million, which is still, in terms of percentage, more or less the same level of improvement from 2023 to 2024,” LIPAD President and CEO Noel Manankil said in an interview with reporters on Tuesday.

He said the downgrade was mainly due to the delay in shifting turboprop flights to Clark. The airport operator had expected full transfer of turboprops by October this year, which would have boosted Clark’s throughput. 

“Number one is the turboprop. We were expecting a hundred percent transfer by October, but the recent development is, I think, Manila would still be keeping, from the information shared with us, a total of six flights a day. That’s pushed back to March, so that’s why we are managing the calibration estimate,” he explained. 

Despite the lower forecast, Clark Airport is still expected to end the year with strong growth, about 20 percent higher than in 2024.

The airport handled 2.4 million passengers last year and is eyeing a base of 3.4 million by 2026, with plans to return to its pre-pandemic level of 4 million by 2027.

According to Manankil, LIPAD is optimistic about stronger passenger growth once the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) connects to the airport, a link targeted for completion in the first half of 2028.

A 300-meter connector will link the NSCR station to the terminal through a covered walkway similar to Runway Manila but at a lower cost.

The walkway will be air-conditioned and designed to blend with the terminal’s aesthetics. Construction is expected to start early next year and finish by 2026.

When the full NSCR stretches from Manila to Clark, the walkway will serve as the initial link to the terminal, with long-term plans for a more permanent above-ground connection.