Last May 17, Pinoy Manila attended the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Manila International Airport Authority and domestic airline operators to integrate the terminal fee into the total cost of airline tickets at the NAIA Terminal 3, Pasay City.
This is really good news to domestic passengers especially for Pinoys who travel frequently. There will no longer line up at the collection counters to pay the terminal fee.
As we all know there are a lot of steps before boarding the plane including the initial screening upon entering the terminal, check-in counter to get the boarding pass, payment of terminal fee, and the final security screening – before boarding the flights. At least on this new system, we will not consume more time in lining up at the counters in airports just to pay the terminal fee. We will have enough time in doing other important things.
The MOA was signed by DOTC secretary Mar Roxas, MIAA general manager Jose Angel Honrado and top officials of airline companies including Ramon Ang, president and COO of PAL; Lance Gokongwei, president and CEO of Cebu Air, Inc;Inigo Zobel, president and CEO of Air Philippines; Alfredo M. Yao, president and CEO of Zest Air; Avelino Zapanta, president and CEO of Seair Inc.; and Ramon Guico III, president and CEO Sky Pasada.
“We appreciate the airline companies’ full cooperation ‘who worked assiduously’ in instituting the new system to provide a better and efficient airport service to air travelers,” Roxas said.
On other hand, only exempted passengers such as overseas workers, athletes, senior citizens and babies under 2-years old, will line up at designated claim booths for refund. The flight and extra crew are also exempted from payment of terminal fee.
The new system for domestic flights takes effect on August 1.The terminal fee for domestic passengers will remain P200 and will be part of the total cost of airfare. Air passengers will board the plane with convenient , safe and hassle-free travel experience.
Meanwhile, the DOTC is doing different projects to improve the infrastructure of the country’s major airports. The government has allocated P800M to night-rate 14 additional airports in Busuanga, Butuan, Cotabato, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Tagbilaran, Legazpi, Naga, Ozamis, Pagadian, Roxas, San Jose, Mindoro, Surigao and Tuguegarao.
NAIA Terminal 3 will be in full operation early next year once the 23 airport systems, including baggage handling system and closed-circuit televisions that will cover all areas of the terminal, are delivered by Takenaka Corp. The The rehabilitation of NAIA Terminal 1 is also in progress.
