Wishing for surot-free airport sofas like these
Ramon Ang's consortium that will rehabilitate NAIA can learn a lesson or two from Chubu Centrair International Airport's Terminal 2 in Nagoya, Japan
MANILA, Philippines – One can’t help but wish that the renovated Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will have surot-free (bed bug-free) airport sofas like the ones they have in the departure area of Terminal 2 of Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
Its Terminal 2, which opened in September 2019, is used by low-cost carriers (LCC), but you won’t feel you’re in an LCC terminal, especially if you’re from the Philippines.
Many Filipinos must have already experienced this clean, efficient, and no-frills airport terminal since it’s used by the Gokongweis’ Cebu Pacific and Qantas subsidiary Jetstar, which have regular Manila-Nagoya flights. Cebu Pacific moved again to this terminal on October 23, 2019 for its Manila-Nagoya flights.
Chubu Centrair International Airport Terminal 2’s blue airport sofas in the departure area, for instance, have power and port outlets where you can charge laptops, mobile phones and other gadgets. The sofas are also large enough to allow passengers to take a nap prior to boarding.
Each sofa can comfortably fit eight people. It has six 110V outlets and six ports for mobile phone charging.
The blue sofas are made of leather, and the gaps in between the cushions don’t allow for insects to thrive. If there are insects on the sofas, a person can easily spot them due to the monotone color and the tight-fit leather with no creases and buttons.
The terminal has common work spaces with spacious long tables situated near the boarding gates. There are also restaurants and duty-free shops near the work spaces.
Typical of Japan, Chubu’s Terminal 2 has squeaky clean toilets with high-tech toilet sets and taps that never run dry.
It’s a start contrast to the NAIA, where ports for charging mobile phones are few and far between. If you need work space, you’ll have to go to restaurants or cafés which offer WiFi, unless you’re traveling business class.
To top it all, Chubu’s Terminal 2 is where the airplane theme park Flight of Dreams is located. The park exhibits the first-ever Boeing 787 – the ZA001. It has Boeing 787 and Boeing 747 simulators where visitors can experience driving an airplane, as well as rides and playground equipment for kids.
NAIA’s problem with bed bugs went viral last February after several travelers complained of getting bitten by the pests. The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has since removed the rattan chairs infested by bed bugs and disinfected the metal chairs in NAIA.
Billionaire Ramon Ang and his consortium won the bid for NAIA’s much-needed facelift last month or on March 18.
The operations and maintenance of the airport are set to be handed over to Ang’s group on or before September 2024.
NAIA has been designated one of the world’s worst airport for a number of years by various review sites. – Rappler.com