No exodus, cancellations at NAIA

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said that there has been no exodus of foreign or even local tourists and balikbayans at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals as a result of President Arroyo’s declaration of a national state of emergency last Friday.

Alfonso Cusi, MIAA general manager, said passenger traffic, especially going out of NAIA Terminals I and II, have remained normal since Friday.

"Wala naman. Normal naman yung traffic dito, in and out," Cusi told The Star.

Cusi said that what MIAA was doing was pursuing their enforcement of strict security measures to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents.

"We are maintaining tight security," Cusi said.

Executives of the different international airlines operating out of NAIA echoed Cusi’s observation, saying their operations remained normal with no cancellations among arriving tourists of their bookings on flights going into the country.

"Our operations have remained normal. We have not had any cancellations so far. Wala rin namang inquiries on the peace and order situation because of last Friday’s happenings," Ed Monreal, a member of the Airline Operators Council, an organization of the station managers of the different airlines operating out of NAIA.

Leoncio Dakila Nakpil II, chairman of the AOC, said this was also the case for his airline which has not had any nervous passengers inquiring about the situation in Manila.

"So far wala naman kaming cancellations. Fortunately, the situation was controlled early and there has been no escalation," Nakpil said.