Airport fees cut amid oil risk

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is slashing fees for both passengers and airlines to keep airfares affordable amid surging jet fuel prices driven by the Middle East conflict.

- DEXTER BARRO II

The move comes after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday, March 24, that grounding planes due to a jet fuel shortage caused by the war in Iran is a "distinct possibility" for Philippine carriers.

"Several countries have already told our airlines they cannot fuel their aircraft, so they have to carry fuel there and back," Marcos told Bloomberg. "Long haul is going to be a much more serious problem."

Asked whether planes may inevitably have to be grounded, Marcos replied, "We're hoping not, but it's a distinct possibility."

In response to rising fuel costs, and following the DOTr's directive, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) will reduce both aeronautical fees and the passenger service charge (PSC) at the airports it manages.