NAIA employees restive

The 1,200 regular employees of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) are now suddenly restless over reports that flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) might transfer both international and domestic operations at the new Terminal 3.

Should this happen, management would be forced to terminate the services of 700-800 regular employees since income from operating Terminal 1 and 2 would be reduced significantly, NAIA Employees Association president Ceferino Lopez said.

Lopez said operations of the $550-million Terminal 3 have been privatized, and that bulk of revenues that could be realized from running the new terminal would go to operator Philippine International Airport Authority (PIATCO).

"Only a small percentage of profits would go to the Manila International Authority (MIAA) as its share," he said.

Lopez said the possible transfer of PAL operations to Terminal 3 would leave only Asian Spirit, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines using the Centennial Terminal 2.

"Cebu Pacific has gone international and others could follow. What would be left at Terminal 2 would be Asian Spirit and one or two small domestic airlines that do not have regular flights," he said.

He said that if Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines also transfer to Terminal 3, revenues from Terminal 2 would be cut by at least 30 percent.

"Where would MIAA get the revenues to pay the salaries of NAIA employees?" Lopez asked.

He said MIAA could be forced to terminate services of more than half of its employees if the local airlines transfer their operations.