NAIA readies for departure surge

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is bracing for the expected annual surge of departing passengers in the next few days as thousands of Filipino overseas workers and foreign tourists leave the Philippines after spending the holidays here.

MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi ordered MIAA personnel to be ready for the high volume of departing passengers transiting through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the next few days.

Officials have also ordered airport personnel and Bureau of Immigration officers to expect a surge in the number of arrivals at the Manila Domestic Airport and the NAIA’s Centennial Terminal as people return from their vacations in the provinces.

"Our goal at the NAIA terminals is to give efficient service for the convenience and comfort of all the passengers whether they had just arrived or are departing, Cusi said.

The heavy influx of arrival travelers during the past weeks – mostly balikbayans and foreign tourists – severely stretched airport manpower resources.