Passenger service first before fee hike, airport execs told

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Grace Poe yesterday reminded administrators of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to prioritize “passenger service” before increasing the terminal fee.

Poe said the MIAA has not totally addressed an incident involving a Xiamen Airlines plane which crash-landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Aug. 16 and paralyzed NAIA’s operations for at least 36 hours.

“Terminal fee is the popular term for passenger service charge. I take it that the most important words are ‘passenger’ and ‘service’,” Poe said.

“Before focusing on the ‘charge’ part, maybe it is best for MIAA and NAIA to first focus on passenger service,” she added.

“According to some passengers who testified at our hearing, the sound system at the airport was not working well and no one could inform them about their boarding time or which gate to proceed at the time,” Poe said.

The senator issued the statement after MIAA general manager Ed Monreal announced a plan to increase the terminal fees by P200 and P100 for international and domestic flights, respectively.

At present, the terminal fee is P550 for international and P200 for domestic flight. Under the plan, the amount will increase to P750 and P300, respectively.

Monreal said the increase is necessary because of the rising maintenance and operational costs of the airport.

“(Our) terminal fee is less than Cebu and Clark,” Monreal said, adding that air travelers will be notified about the increase through publication in newspapers of general circulation.

Overseas Filipino workers are exempted from paying terminal fees upon presentation of their overseas employment certificate.

Monreal said the terminal fee hike would likely be implemented by April next year, as the proposal was unopposed during the conduct of a public hearing on Oct. 30.

Poe questioned how the MIAA currently manages the terminal fees.

“What are they doing right now with the existing passenger service charge or terminal fee? What are they going to do if ever it increases? We can’t simply take it hook, line and sinker and give it to them. How about the service that the passengers deserve?” she asked as she reminded the MIAA about the millions of pesos in unrefunded terminal fees.

“We must also not forget that there are still millions in unrefunded terminal fees that have yet to be returned to the passengers. What happened to these?”

She advised the MIAA to conduct actual public consultations and get the pulse of the people who will be affected by the planned hike in terminal fees.

“There should also be real public consultations because of the sheer number of people – 42 million – who will be affected. This is the number of passengers who flew through NAIA last year,” she said.

Poe said the reimposition of fuel charges on air travelers is another reason why public hearings should be conducted. 

She said airline passengers should be informed of the multiple taxes and fees embedded in a ticket, including travel tax.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has expressed support for MIAA’s plan to increase the terminal fee, saying it will ensure the safety and security of the traveling public.

“While this is still in the pipeline, the MIAA has already confirmed that a minimal increase in terminal fees is necessary to cover infrastructure and service upgrade,” Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said.

“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 earlier 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.

Asked if the increase in terminal fees would encourage travelers to make use of the country’s other airports, Bengzon said the DOT has been trying to decongest the country’s main gateway by establishing new air routes and creating additional air seats to secondary gateways.

“This intervention is to strengthen the other tourism development areas and to spread tourism benefits to the countryside,” he said. – With Catherine Talavera