No limit in domestic passengers at NAIA, says MIAA

The limit of 400 passengers a day for arriving international flights, however, is still being implemented, Monreal said. (PNA file photo)

MANILA – The number of inbound and outbound domestic passengers to be accommodated at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) would not be limited as compared to arriving international passengers, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Ed Monreal said Monday.

The limit of 400 passengers a day for arriving international flights, however, is still being implemented, Monreal said.

As of Monday night, no airline was given a slot at NAIA to mount a commercial domestic flight for June 3, he added.

On May 30, the Civil Aeronautics Board announced that airlines are required to get a clearance first from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID), which would approve the routes for domestic air services the airlines proposed for the resumption of domestic operations.

Local carriers Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines announced over the weekend the resumption of their domestic flight operations on June 2 and 3. These, however, were canceled.

Cebu Pacific on Tuesday night announced the mounting of several “special repatriation flights” on June 3.

These include flights between Manila and the cities of General Santos, Naga, and Cagayan de Oro.

AirAsia Philippines on Tuesday night said it would resume flights in its key domestic routes on June 5.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) will offer domestic services beginning June 5 and said it had canceled flights originally set for June 3-7 “due to fine-tuning of local government entry restrictions and requirements”.

As local carriers plan to gradually resume domestic services, Monreal said NAIA Terminal 3 would be used for domestic flights and PAL would continue using NAIA Terminal 2.