Bigger and better are what comes to mind when it comes to building new structures integrating new technologies. For Clark International Airport’s New Terminal which is set to be operational by July of 2021, to be better is to focus on something that sounds radical when talking about airports—quietude. And in this time of global health concerns, to be better is to have more “contactless” solutions.
Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD) is at the helm of the operations and management of CRK and has promised the public that the new terminal, while being a mega project with four levels, 110,000 square meters, and eight million passenger capacity, is a terminal of safety, ease and quiet.
LIPAD CEO Bi Yong Chungunco reveals that peace of mind of travelers is high in the airport’s priority. Design and processes at the terminal have this as guiding principle. She says, “We will operate a ‘silent airport policy’, meaning it will be the quietest and most relaxing airport in the Philippines.”
No longer will there be a cacophony of voices such as calls for boarding and departures, save for emergencies. Travelers will rely on posted updates for quick reference.
Passengers will be more at ease with the options that have no face-to-face interaction. Among these are the common-use self-service kiosks (CUSS) and the self-service bag drops. Travelers can check-in at these kiosks, shared by other airlines and that are without the need for ground staff.
Deeply intuitive design is also what the terminal’s interiors strive for. It focuses on giving the travelers a sense of familiarity and rids itself of complexities. For travelers to be fully relaxed and at ease, the processes must not be confusing. Travelers of all kinds have varying backgrounds and such a design allows for each traveler to have that feeling of being guided through the process through the interplay of finer details, even with the protocols for safe distancing and all necessary measures to ensure passenger safety in a pandemic.
Part of this is the use of color as consistent distinctions for certain uses. In the terminal, the use of green points to international flights, while blue points to domestic flights.
The new terminal’s look takes inspiration from nearby natural formations and landscape including the vast mountain ranges of Zambales and Mt. Arayat in Pampanga. The airport’s color palette, therefore, integrated muted greens and blues with soft grays and browns, mimicking riverbeds, caves, and bodies of water such as the crater lake of Mt. Pinatubo.
The layout of halls allows for the passenger experience to be without much fuss. The processes are streamlined.
A passenger enters the terminal and goes to the check in counters. After checking in, one goes straight to screening. After screening, one turns right for domestic flights or goes the other direction for immigration and international boarding.
The intention is clear—to make airport experience as seamless and as comfortable as possible. Passengers of all flights, whether it be domestic or international, inbound or outbound, are treated with the highest level of service sans the blaring sounds.
Clark is determined to make passage through its terminal a refreshing breeze for travelers.
