Manila: Authorities are certain that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will hike its terminal fees next year, although public consultations have yet to be made on the matter.
Jess Martinez, head of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Media Affairs Division, said users of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) can expect to pay additional charges as it will definitely increase its terminal fees sometime in 2019, to cover the costs of running its facilities.
“We target to have this by the second quarter of 2019, but no assurance if this would materialise by that time, since it has to undergo some processes,” Martinez was quoted by government media on Saturday.
The MIAA, the body managing the operations of the NAIA’s four terminals, plans to increase the terminal fees for passengers of international flights from the current 550 Philippines pesos (Dh38.83) to P750 (Dh52.33). Terminal fees for domestic flights will be hiked to P300 (Dh20.93) from P200 (Dh13.95) if the scheme is approved.
The NAIA plans to hike its terminal fees even amid complaints from passengers over its services and the costs.
Only last week, Senator Grace Poe pointed out that rather than setting its sights on raising terminal fees, it would be more worthwhile for NAIA to improve the quality of service it is providing to airport users.
Overseas Filipino workers (OFW), by law are exempted from paying the terminal fees and travel taxes, but authorities are yet to implement a system where such charges could be automatically deducted from the costs passengers pay for their tickets.
It can be recalled that in 2012, domestic carriers had implemented an integrated ticketing to streamline the process. In 2015, international carriers followed suit.
Because of implementation of integrated airline fees, OFW passengers had to queue at the arrival tills and present their Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs) issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, so they could get their refunds. However, not all of them has the time to do so, as some were in a hurry to see their families after being away from home for long.
MIAA general manager Ed Monreal also said the amount remitted by airlines for collecting the fees are being kept in a trust fund.
“The amount is kept by MIAA in a trust account and is distinct and separate from the agency’s corporate funds. The money does not belong to MIAA. It will remain in the trust account until fully refunded to the passengers who own them,” said the airport chief said.
Poe reiterated that given the huge amount of money the MIAA and all the other airports in the country had to reimburse the OFWs, plans of the airport authority to hike its fees should be subjected to public consultations.
Instead of raising terminal fees, she said the government should look at coming up with an auto deduct system in the ticketing so that OFWs would not have to wait in line to get their terminal fee reimbursements.
