About 27,000 arriving and departing passengers on 117 flights may experience discomfort due to reduced air circulation during a 12-hour interruption on July 16-17, 2024, from 9:00 PM to 9:00 AM at NAIA Terminal 3, as the airport undergoes a scheduled maintenance of its cooling systems.
Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Eric Jose Ines released a statement Sunday, seeking understanding and cooperation from all airport users during the temporary shutdown.
According to the MIAA, the new cooling tower piping will be connected to the main piping lines of the chiller plant as part of the upgrade of the airport’s cooling system.
“The upgrades are intended to bolster the terminal’s capability to maintain ideal temperatures efficiently thereby ensuring a more pleasant experience for all airport users,” said Ines.
The move also intends to resolve issues of inadequate cooling.
Early this year, MIAA invested in new cooling towers that will be strategically installed to optimize piping infrastructure, thereby upgrading and significantly improving overall system efficiency of the air-conditioning system in Terminal 3.
The final step for the installation of these six (6) new cooling towers has been set on July 16 to 17 during the aforementioned timeframe. A temporary shutdown of some parts of the cooling system has to be initiated to facilitate the necessary upgrades.
During this period, only the fans and blowers of the air conditioning units will operate to enable air circulation in various areas. The felt temperature may not also reach optimal comfort levels at said time, the MIAA explained.
Areas to be affected include: check-in counters, immigration departure, final security checks for domestic and international flights, baggage carousels for international and domestic arrivals, and the arrival lobby.
To minimize passenger discomfort, the MIAA said stand-alone air conditioning units will be deployed in various areas of the terminal for spot cooling as backup.
Once the new cooling towers are fully integrated into the chilled water system, it is expected that normal and more efficient operation of the air conditioning units will be gradually restored.
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