Working lunch with NAIA GM

Instead of a “Letter to the Editor” or a “Dear Sir” email explaining the situation we wrote about at the NAIA Terminal 3 (“Skyline Pigeon Blues”), the new general manager of the NAIA, GM Cesar Chiong – a 25-year veteran in commercial aviation – chose to invite me to have lunch with him and his immediate staff. Instead of GM Chiong explaining and me listening, what happened was a working lunch where we exchanged information, worked out situations and actually drew up solutions and strategies, all with the goal of improving the customer experience at all NAIA terminals as well as helping gain public support for OUR International Airport.

I capitalized “OUR” because it is a mindset that every Filipino who passes through NAIA should have in mind. Yes, we must call out shortcomings but we should also be ready to help fix things because we are all the end users.

In response to our Sept. 9 column, GM Cesar Chiong immediately invited all airline representatives, particularly those covered by the article, NAIA officials in charge of facilities and security and his immediate staff. The airlines explained that they are indeed understaffed while their passenger volumes have gone up. The problem is that those who were sidelined during the pandemic have decided to put up their own businesses or livelihood while recruiting and training new personnel is a slow process, given the major losses incurred by airlines over the 18 month pandemic.

While local travel has gone up by 120 percent from 2019, the international travel has been at 52 percent due to continued lockdowns of major countries or destinations. Nonetheless, GM Chiong called out the airline executives and pressed the need for the airlines to increase their current staff level by at least 20 to 25 percent more. He also informed the airline reps that NAIA management will now be monitoring the manpower and equipment deployment of all airlines on every flight.

To address the long queues, delays and 2 1/2-hour processing, NAIA in partnership with the airlines will launch a campaign to promote online check-in that is accepted by airlines 24 hours before every flight. This will entail a dedicated lane for baggage drop off but the benefit is that every passenger that checks in online can save one to two hours of waiting NEEDLESSLY, and avoid having to stand in line.

Subject to discussion with the airlines, the goal is to really promote the check-in so that all documentary requirements are met and made available by passengers even before they arrive at the airport. Once checked in online, every passenger gets a boarding pass that they can print at home, their office or even in the neighborhood computer shop.

Alongside this project with the airlines, Chiong hopes to establish an information sharing system between airlines, NAIA authorities, the Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs and other affected units so that they already have the number of passenger arrivals and departures to properly assign the number of personnel needed and counters to be manned because one recurring complaint is that there are 36 BI counters but there are only 18 that are operational, which also contributes to long lines or hassles.

In order to address complaints about delays going through multiple screening areas, GM Chiong has asked that four new available screening equipment be installed at the NAIA to replace defective, non-functioning units that are too costly to service instead of assigning the units to provincial airports that only have one flight a day.

GM Chiong is also seriously considering removing the primary screening/X-ray at the entrance of terminals and focusing on the main screening that follows check-in of baggage. This way, passengers don’t have to stand in line outside the terminal.

Given that solutions can’t be implemented overnight, I still insisted that they highlight the special lane for seniors, pregnant women, PWDs and mothers with infants. Apparently there is a policy in effect but either the airline does not have personnel assigned to look out for them or people can’t see the sign because airport signages are too small in general.

We also raised the need for a numbering system for people standing in line, bollards or dividers and floor markers with an assigned seat for passengers every meter. It may not be aesthetically pleasing for designers, but it will reduce the stress and pain of people with joint or hip problems, etc.

As for air conditioning concerns, GM Chiong already instructed his team to keep the units running until the last plane has left the terminal or the last flight has completed boarding. We also suggested installing those humongous “Big Ass” fans with 10-foot blades because they are superb at cooling facilities. It turned out that GM Chiong installed the very same fans at the Caticlan Airport when he was the manager there.

Going a step further, we all agreed that there has to be a designated “Duty Monitor” or someone assigned every day to watch what’s happening at every terminal, checking on customer comfort, cleanliness of facilities, presence and performance of personnel assigned to each area of concern.

NAIA will also meet with representatives of the telecommunications companies and maybe NTC to address several complaints from foreigners and passengers using foreign phones that cannot access the free WiFi of Globe and Smart at the NAIA. Our suggestion was that the telcos provide free SIM cards on the flights or upon arrival so the passenger can use the free WiFi and then just buy load so they have a local phone. GM Chiong pointed out that this is done in Australia where travelers get the SIM card and just buy A$10 worth of data or load. I know this was done by other international telcos before the pandemic.

Let’s just all hope and PRAY that many if not all these solutions bear fruit.