‘NAIA fees still lowest in SEA’

MANILA, Philippines — Despite a spike in terminal fees, service charges at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) are still the lowest in Southeast Asia, according to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

Starting Sept. 14, departing international passengers at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 will pay P950 from P550. Domestic travelers will pay P390 from P200.

Fee adjustments made by the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC) are the first in 20 years, covering airport renovation, maintenance and security, MIAA general manager Eric Ines said.

In Singapore, Ines said passengers pay about P2,685, followed by P1,710 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; P1,530 in Hanoi, Vietnam; P1,240 in Bangkok, Thailand and P1,135 at Japan’s Haneda Airport.

In the Philippines, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport collects about P1,030, while Davao International Airport, Iloilo International Airport and Kalibo International Airport collect P900 in terminal fees, Ines noted.

Exempted from paying terminal fees are overseas Filipino workers, religious pilgrims joining Hajj and Umrah as well as athletes competing in international events, he said.

Transport Secretary Vince Dizon, who was named public works chief by President Marcos yesterday,  earlier defended the fee hike, saying it was part of the privatization agreement.

Critics, including the PUSO ng NAIA group, said the privatization led to higher costs for passengers.

President Marcos, they said, should suspend the contract and roll back the fees.

Adjustments coincided with the first anniversary of the NNIC’s takeover of airport operations on Sept. 14, 2024.

The new fees were approved by the Department of Transportation and the Cabinet and reviewed by the Asian Development Bank.