NAIA: A year of change

It’s now been a little more than a year since the Ramon Ang-led consortium took over the operations and maintenance of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Sept. 14, 2024, and what a year it has been for the airport operator.

From my own experience, I’ve noticed some real changes, mostly translating to a better passenger experience at the airport – faster drop-off times at the arrival and departure bays, less grid lock at the usual entry and exit points to and from the gateway and in Terminal 3, a designated area for ride-hailing services.

There are still long queues though, especially in T1 and T3, but these are mostly at the immigration counter, and congestion may even worsen this long Undas weekend but so far, the improvements are already noticeable.

Just last Tuesday, I flew out again from NAIA T1 and I continued to experience changes. For instance, there is an ongoing construction at the parking lot fronting the terminal. I’m not sure what kind of transformation will happen but hopefully, it will be for the better.

At the departure bay when I arrived, I also noticed that traffic was smooth, with drop off time kept to a minimum.

Our plane to Tokyo was also able to depart on time.

These are just some of the changes I saw when I flew out of the country last Tuesday, although it’s been months since I last traveled so I’m not sure how consistent NAIA is in implementing these improvements.

Of course, I can only speak from my experience as someone who has traveled under different NAIA eras.

But so far, based on my trips, I can really say that NAIA is now a better airport. It is still a far cry from Singapore’s famed Changi Airport, Japan’s Narita or other efficient gateways across the globe, but it is a noticeable upgrade from NAIA of decades past.

In its report on its first year of operations, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the San Miguel Corp.-led consortium that now operates the airport, shared a number of measures and changes it has successfully put in place.

These include 11,820 new chairs, 2,500 baggage trolleys, 21 new air-conditioning units and chillers and upgraded WiFi – from 1G to 10G.

All escalators, walkalators and elevators are now operational, while 34 new boarding bridges have been ordered, NNIC said.

“Other key initiatives include the installation of 95 percent of 586 new Flight Information Display Systems for real-time updates under NAIA’s new quiet terminal concept, which minimizes background noise and relies on digital displays for flight information; the deployment of 517 biometric-enabled passenger processing units across terminals for faster check-in, boarding and security screening and the ongoing installation of 78 Immigration e-gates and 113 verification desks, with Phase 1 targeted for completion by December 2025.”

NNIC opened a dedicated OFW lounge in Terminal 3 to serve nearly half a million overseas Filipino workers, with a second lounge set to open at Terminal 1.

It also implemented operational changes, not normally seen by passengers, including reconfiguring aircraft parking stands and removing abandoned aircraft which freed up valuable space for smoother airside operations.

This enabled NAIA to add new domestic and international routes with 47 airline partners.

Between terminals, NNIC also improved passenger mobility by providing a fleet of 20 new shuttle buses, which carry more than half a million travelers between terminals.

More passengers

These changes paved the way for more passengers to travel.

Since taking over NAIA on Sept. 14, 2024, up to Sept. 13, 2025, NAIA welcomed 51.7 million passengers, 2.9 million more than the same period the year before, marking a six percent increase.

The airport also handled a total of 283,771 flights.

In terms of on-time performance, NAIA posted a record high of 92.12 percent in a single day – the highest ever recorded in the airport’s history.

Moving forward, NNIC is preparing to roll out a new facial recognition system that would enable travelers to soon check in, drop bags, clear security and board flights using just their face.

Adjustment in terminal fees

As a result of the changes and to enable the consortium to sustain the gains, NNIC has raised NAIA’s terminal fees, the first adjustment in 20 years.

The increase – set by the government with the Asian Development Bank as adviser – will put NAIA’s rates on the same level as other local airports such as in Cebu and Iloilo and will remain among the lowest in Asia.

Tycoon Ramon Ang is proud of what his team has achieved in terms of improving NAIA.

“Operating an airport the size and scale of NAIA will always be demanding. But what this first year has shown is that with teamwork, discipline and the dedication of our people, real change is possible,” Ang said.

Together with the government and their partners, Ang said, NNIC is committed to sustaining these gains to deliver “a truly world-class NAIA.”

It will not happen overnight. It will take years, perhaps even decades.

It does not help that some quarters, likely backed by old timers at NAIA, are trying to block the NNIC-led changes and are pushing to scrap the NAIA privatization.

This, however, is certainly regressive. What we should be pushing for is to make sure that Ang and NNIC deliver on their promises, through audits, specific performance indicators and commitments set in their contracts.

The promise is to transform NAIA into a world-class airport. Let’s make sure they deliver.

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