A concern, not a prediction

Isimply got lucky with the column topic last Friday, June 9, but it was written clearly out of concern and not as a prediction. No one can predict that a technician would forget to disconnect a testing equipment and subsequently fry a line at the NAIA Terminal 3.

Being right in such matters gives no joy because the brief 38-minute power shutdown surely disrupted people’s plans, business and mobility. I even got a message out of Singapore from my niece whose return flight to Manila was pushed back.

Besides, the Bible warns us not to rejoice or gloat at other people’s misery: “Do not rejoice when your enemy fails and do not be glad when he stumbles; Lest the Lord see it and it displeases him”- Proverbs 24:17-18. For the record, I remain supportive of the men and women who work tirelessly at the MIAA in service of the public.

So, what should be the next steps for the MIAA and the businesses operating out of the MIAA? When the 38-minute power disruption occurred at T3, I understand that certain stakeholders had asked the MIAA leadership to activate the “Crisis/ROPS Center” to address the situation. Friday’s mini crisis may have been resolved but there is much to be done in terms of low level, low-intensity crisis management on many fronts.

For starters, it might be time to raise the required security clearance and background checks for people entering the NAIA. I got the impression that background security checks remain at the level of the airport police and security guard and represented companies or agencies. In this day and age of threats and disruptions, the NICA and NBI should have a rapid processing system available to the MIAA and even other sensitive facilities.

As an air traveler and journalist, I see a gaping hole or void in terms of immediate action, conflict resolution that can be undertaken. There is also a serious lack in public education or public information that all the stakeholders at NAIA should fill and they have a huge captured market at four terminals to start with.

Every time I go to the airport, the place reminds me of a public market once the different gates start taking over the public address system. Half of the time the ground staff of airlines making the announcement don’t know how to use the PA system, never got proper training on use of equipment and are not trained on how to speak or make announcements.

They often shout or are too close to the mic which muffles or shatters the audio. There should simply be a fixed set of trained “announcers” who can audibly, calmly and clearly tell us what we need to know. Second, the messaging coming out of those PA systems at each gate barely tells you anything except that your plane has not arrived, has arrived but has to be cleaned, will be late or is not going anywhere or is now leaving.

Set-backs such as serious delays or flight cancelations should be announced in complete form, starting with an apology accompanied with a promised solution, an explanation why the set-back happened or was implemented (safety, security, etc.) and a slow step by step instruction on the options or remedies available by Smart phone, IT terminals nearby or, even better, a 24/7 counter assigned for such events, preferably sound proof and with lots of calming drinks and food! If not, then set-up video conferencing booths.

Speaking of cancelations and explanations, the CAB should enforce a policy that ONLY the contact numbers and email of passengers be registered with the airlines and not those of booking agents, etc. I have personally experienced showing up at an airport for a canceled flight because our tickets were handled by a booking agent.

After listening to so many deplaned passengers, it is clear that the airlines need to cut back on flights that stretch their operational capabilities. The fastest and least painful way of doing this is for the CAB and CAAP to order the airlines to cut back their flights. This is the regulators’ job, not the airlines.

As for cancelations, the worst thing an airline can do is feed OJTs or newbies to the angry lion passengers right after a flight cancelation or delay in baggage handling. I personally saw this once and I told the newbies to go to the PA system and just explain and inform passengers. Perhaps, the CAB and CAAP can require all airlines to have mandatory hotlines.

As far as public information is concerned, the MIAA and the airlines should all make use of their PA system and display monitors at departure gates, lounges and food courts and show aviation education programs regarding air travel, safety drills, security restrictions, booking tips, causes of delays such as lightning strikes, etc.

I looked up the topic of lightning strikes and lightning alerts and I got a short course via the internet. In June 2019, an airport personnel got hit by lightning, the same year the company Earth Network was completing the nationwide weather & lightning detection network for PAGASA. The MIAA installed an Earth Networks Lightning Warning System in 2021 covering all four terminals in 2021.

I learned that when thunderstorms are tracked, the lightning alert system records the first hit within a 3-mile/9-kilometer hit, then monitors until approximately 30 to 45 minutes of no hits before the alert is lifted. International information also indicated that the weather may be sunny and bright at the terminal, but a thunderstorm may already be headed your way at lightning speed. It happens at sea, why not on land?

The point is to educate the Filipino traveler on these things so they can be better informed and appreciate why certain things have to be done. To ignore the need is to disrespect the customer and the taxpayer.