Just a matter of time

Even with the impending increase in passenger service charges next year at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Philippine rates are still going to be lower compared to other international gateways.

- MARY ANN LL. REYES

These charges will go up next year pursuant to an administrative order issued by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) from P550 to P950 for international departing passengers and from P200 to P390 for domestic ones.

The increase will be implemented by the New NAIA H I D D E N Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC) which took over NAIA's operation and AG E N DA maintenance from MIAA. The fees will be adjusted again in the sixth and 11th years of the 15-year concession period. If the period is extended by another 10 years, adjustments will be made further on the 16th and 21st year. A report from Singapore's The M ARY ANN Strait Times Showed that the P950 LL REYES ($22 SGD) rate for international' bound passengers departing from NAIA is still significantly lower compared to the $59 SGD at the Hong Kong International Airport for long-haul economy class passengers and $47 SGD for short haul passengers.

The rate for departing passengers in Changi Airport in Singapore is currently at $65.20 SGD and this will increase to $79.20 SGD by April 2030.

Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok charges its passengers $30 SGD while Incheon Airport Seoul's rate is $24 SGD. The charge, meanwhile, for passengers departing from Dubai International Airport is $45 SGD while Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is currently charging $105 SGD, the same report showed.

The increased fees at NAIA are part of the fee hikes mandated by the Department of Transportation and MIAA under the Asian Development Bank-approved concession agreement.

Whoever won the biddin to operate and maintain NAIA will have to impose t₱ese increased charges. So those blaming NNIC for the increase do not know what they are saying.