
Commercial airports operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) are preparing for the observance of this year's All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day in line with the directive of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime J. Bautista's “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Undas 2023".
All CAAP commercial airports are currently operating on heightened alert status in response to the recently reported bomb jokes and threats and the reinforcement of security measures will be maintained in anticipation of the upcoming Undas holidays, the CAAP said.
Under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 17 Standard 4.4 1, CAAP said that airport security personnel on duty shall ensure that passengers and their baggage are screened thoroughly prior boarding the aircraft.
"To further ensure safe, secure, reliable and convenient air travel for passengers, all 12 area managers handling all CAAP-operated airports with commercial flights nationwide shall ensure the observance of maximum deployment of service and security personnel. Therefore, a 'no leave' policy will be implemented during the entire duration of Oplan Biyaheng Ayos," the CAAP said.
Aside from these measures, the CAAP said that it was working with toher relevant government agencies such as the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP-AVSEU), Office of Transportation Security (OTS), Department of Tourism (DOT), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), and various airlines for the efficient processing of passengers, especially at the check-in counters.
CAAP said it requested additional deployment of personnel from airline stakeholders in order to accommodate the increase in travelers.
Malasakit Help Desks and hotlines were also manned by duty officersto accommodate passenger concerns.
"CAAP reminds all passengers who will be traveling internationally to arrive at the airport at least three (3) hours before their scheduled flight to avoid any inconvenience," the agency said.