An airport watchdog is calling for the national government intervention amid the sharp increases of various fees at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
From parking to landing and take-off fees, AirportWatch spokesperson Danilo Lorenzo “Ren” Delos Santos questioned how the new NAIA management is allowed to impose what it described as excessive fees even if the promised airport upgrades are yet to be materialized.
“Already, travelers are hit with excessive airport fees, inflated parking rates, and steep landing and take-off charges… The public’s concerns have once again been ignored, despite the growing outcry for a reassessment of the steep fee hikes following San Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) takeover of NAIA,” Delosa Santos said.
“We urge authorities to listen to the voices of the public and focus on ensuring that the deliverables of the concession agreement for NAIA rehabilitation is delivered first and enjoyed by airport users before any fee increase,” he added.
On Oct. 1, the New NAIA Infra Corporation (NNIC) implemented a 300 percent increase in overnight parking rate for cars in NAIA—from P300 to P1,200 overnight parking.
In a statement, the NNIC earlier said the rate was aimed at discouraging non-airport users to take advantage of the previous low parking fees.
But Delos Santos said the new parking rates appeared to cater only to the wealthy.
“The new NAIA management claims these hikes are designed to decongest parking areas, yet the only outcome is to price out the average air traveler, catering only to the wealthy. Airportwatch.PH stands with the public in rejecting these unjustified rates, which place a disproportionate burden on ordinary passengers,” he said.
On the part of the Airline Operators’ Council (AOC), it said that even NAIA employees are suffering from the increase in parking rates as their special parking fees were no longer honored.
Impact of take-off, landing fees hike
Nepomuceno also said that airlines are expected to increase their airfares following the hike in take-off and landing fees in NAIA.
Delos Santos said AirportWatch is also opposing the increase in take-off and landing fees in NAIA, which is now among the highest in Asia. Earlier, Air Carriers Association of the Philippines and the Consumers Union of the Philippines also opposed the said increase.
“These costs will only further strain our local aviation industry, ultimately passing the burden onto consumers,” Delos Santos said.
“These fee increases negatively impact local and international travelers, as well as the many stakeholders affected by these drastic increases in airport fees that are meted by MIAA Administrative Order 1,” he added.
Delos Santos fears that this is just the start of the many burdens the public will have to shoulder following the expected series of fees increases that will be implemented by the NNIC.
“The public’s frustration is clear. The outrageous parking fees, which have soared by 400 percent, from P300 to an absurd P1,200 for 24 hours is only the beginning”, he said.
“We call on for a full public disclosure of the details of all airport fees that have been increased which the DOTR says is actually part of the terms of reference of the NAIA rehabilitation bid,” he added.