Airport horror tale

Another day, another airport nightmare. Just as I thought our premier gateway reached the nadir with the recent public health pest infestation issue, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) hit a new low with a malfunctioning check-in operation.

Two mornings ago, I experienced first-hand the incompetence of current officials managing the NAIA. I woke up early last Thursday to catch a 6:00 flight to Beijing. The China International Cooperation invited me to talk about Sino-Philippine relations at a conference at Tsinghua University.

When I arrived at NAIA, the terminal lobby was in pandemonium. The area was crawling with vexed passengers whose flights got delayed. The check-in system bogged down, so the airline staff had to issue handwritten boarding passes!

My boarding pass reminded me of the paper-printed licenses for drivers issued by the Land Transportation Office and the delayed release of license plates that number millions. As a consequence, I was stranded for more than an hour. I had no recourse but to temporarily swallow my anger lest I miss my flight.

Frankly, the entire episode was equal parts infuriating and embarrassing. I could not help but compare my hassle-free experience last week at Istanbul Airport, rated five stars by Skytrax for comfort, cleanliness and security/immigration.

I also had a stress-free layover in the airports of Singapore (the marriage of eco-friendly form and function is brilliant), Abu Dhabi and Dubai in recent weeks. Upon arriving at Daxing International Airport in Beijing, I was amazed by its beauty, expansiveness and efficiency. The interiors of the lotus-shaped gateway are also Instagram-worthy.

How I wish I could say the same for NAIA as regards state-of-the-art technology, modern facilities and seamless boarding process. In its current state, it pains me to say there is nothing world-class about the airport. Nonetheless, I am thankful we have superior airports in Clark and Mactan if we talk about operations, services and amenities.

I wish I could also claim that foreigners can trust our honest and incorruptible airport security officers. Last year, several Office of Terminal Security personnel were suspended or fired for extorting and stealing from foreign tourists. The most infamous case was a dollar-eating female screener caught on surveillance camera. On March 2, a sling bag owned by a British national mysteriously vanished inside an X-ray machine. Accompanied by his Filipino wife, the London-bound victim failed to retrieve the bag containing a wallet, cell phone and several IDs after the x-ray scan (Manila Times).

Negative image

An oft-repeated expression in the tourism and aviation industries is that an airport is the first and last thing travelers see in a foreign territory. It is also a virtual mirror of how a country, particularly its business and tourism sectors, is run and regulated by an incumbent government. Ergo, an airport leaves a big, if not lasting, impression on investors and tourists.

Since 2023, various technical and administrative problems have bedeviled NAIA. To wit: leadership crisis, theft and extortion cases, paralyzed airspace, power outages and bedbug/ rat infestation.

A recent survey conducted by a UK-based business finance and lending research website ranked NAIA as the fourth worst airport in Asia and the worst in Southeast Asia. (I know it has been featured in many column and news articles, but the survey result cannot be overstated in view of the most recent airport snafu.) Business travelers gave it a measly 2.78 rating, according to BusinessFinancing.co.uk. The website publisher noted that nine of the ten best Asian airports had an average 5/10 passenger rating.

In comparison, two ASEAN gateways were named first and second best airports in Asia and across the globe. The Noi Bai International Airport of Vietnam and Changi Airport of Singapore scored 6.8 and 6.63, respectively. In particular, passengers praised Vietnam’s gateway for its excellent queuing process, incredible range of facilities, cleanliness and friendly staff.

In my livestream and this column, I have repeatedly called out the sins of commission and omission of our transport/ airport officials. I have even personally relayed my sentiments to the people of Malacañang.

Until now, the Marcos administration has yet to fire any top transport official for incompetence. These appointees, meanwhile, refuse to resign out of delicadeza. For how long should Filipino and foreign travelers suffer from the insipidity of these appointed officials?

Redemption at hand

Fortunately, a San Miguel-led group offers a bright hope for the rehabilitation of NAIA. The airport’s chances of joining the highly-rated and most-admired lists might become a reality sooner than we expect. It will also be a boon for all inbound and outbound passengers.

The SMC-SAP Company Consortium trumped the powerful Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC) of the six influential business clans in the country. The winning consortium earned the right to operate and upgrade the airport for 15 years plus a possible 10-year extension.

The San Miguel Holdings Corporation, Incheon International Airport Corporation, RLW Aviation Development and RMM Asian Logistics comprise SMC-SAP. At the helm is billionaire tycoon Ramon S. Ang, who currently oversees the construction of the P735.6-billion Bulacan International Airport (The STAR).

Initially, I thought MIAC had it in the bag, given the close affinity of the Aboitiz family with our President. But the winning bid of RSA’s group was irresistible. Only a fool would turn down their offer of 82.16 percent revenue share with the government. It was triple that of MIAC’s 25.91 percent bid. The SMC-SAP will also provide the government with an upfront payment of P30 billion and a fixed annual payment of P2 billion (Rappler). 

I have always admired the business acumen and killer instinct of RSA. Uncannily, he is familiar with the transport-related needs of the people in the Greater Manila Area.

I commend the NLEX-SLEX Connector Project, which has significantly reduced my home-to-work travel time. It has also made my periodic trips to lower and higher courts around Metro Manila easier and faster. I no longer have to endure the arduous EDSA traffic during rush hour. 

With RSA at the helm, I am confident that the P170-billion project will be successfully implemented and completed.