MANILA, Philippines — The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has announced an increase in terminal fees, from P200 to P300 for domestic passengers and from P550 to P750 for those traveling abroad.
“We will start collecting the additional terminal fee early next year or in the second quarter once the MIAA board has approved it,” MIAA general manager Ed Monreal said yesterday.
Monreal said the increase is necessary because of rising maintenance and operational costs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
“(Our) terminal fee is lesser than Cebu and Clark,” Monreal assured the public during the Kapihan with Art at the NAIA Terminal 1 yesterday.
Monreal added that air travelers will be notified about the increase through publication in newspapers of general circulation.
The increase will be charged to passengers when they purchase their plane tickets.
Overseas Filipino workers, however, are exempted from the fee upon presentation of their Overseas Employment Certificate.
“The amount is not that much to make a ripple as far as discouraging people from traveling,” Tourism Congress of the Philippines president Jose Clemente III told The STAR.
But MIAA should ensure that the airport terminals are actually improved.
“We still see some facilities that are not working despite the (fees) we pay,” Clemente said.
Earlier this year, NAIA was recognized as the 10th most improved airport in the world by British-based consultancy firm Skytrax. – With Catherine Talavera