Barking up the wrong tree

Effective today (Sept. 14), terminal fees at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will be updated for the first time in 20 years.

- MARY ANN LL. REYES

According to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA)'s Revised Administrative Order 1, these charges would increase beginning the second year of government's concession agreement with private sector entity New Naia Infra Corp. (NNIC) to P950 from P550 for international passengers and to P390 from P200 for domestic travelers.

The rates were set by the government, with the Asian Development Bank as adviser, as part of the public-private partnership concession agreement for NAIA's modernization.

For some, the increase to more than double the previous rates might appear too much. It is actually not.

NAIA's terminal rates will still be cheaper than those in neighboring countries. Airports in Haneda in Japan, Bangkok in Thailand, Hanoi in Vietnam, Phnom Penh in Cambodia, and Changi in Singapore, in fact, charge higher fees ranging from P1,135 to P2,685 per passenger compared to NAIA's international passenger rate of P950.

According to NNIC, with the increase, NAIA's fees will simply match other Philippine airports, while staying among the most affordable in Asia.

Cebu airport charges P1,030 for international and P390 for domestic, while Davao, Iloilo, Bohol and Kalibo have similar terminal fees at P900 for international and P350 for domestic. Clark's rate is at P750 for international and P315 for domestic.

However, it is incorrect to compare NAIA's rates to other domestic airports, considering that NAIA serves more than 50 million passengers yearly, more than all the top local airports combined.

Singapore's terminal fee is at P2,685; Phnom Penh, P1,710; Hanoi, P1,530; Bangkok, P1,240; Haneda, P1,135 and Hong Kong, P895.

International terminal fees will remain free for overseas Filipino workers, according to NNIC.