Beginning October 1, 2014, travelers out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) can expect the terminal fee of P550 to already be included in the cost of their airline tickets, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said.
The fee will be integrated into the ticket cost at the point of purchase, according to Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abay, who also disclosed that the MIAA has already discussed the matter with international air carrier representatives.
Abay added that this new system is targeted at alleviating the congestion of departing passengers at NAIA, as it would make available a large area within the airport’s terminal once the existing terminal fee payment counters are removed.
Among the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Philippines is the sole country that collects terminal fees on at the airport; upon the passengers departure.
A period of one year has been given for the full implementation and integration of the system which kicks of this October, and is expected to be fully in place October 2015.
Other airports and bodies governing air travel, such as the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC), and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), have been given a directive by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to apply the same system.
Certain groups of people are exempt from paying terminal fee. These are:
• Overseas Filipino workers holding a certification from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)
• Pilgrims endorsed by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos
• Athletes endorsed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC); and
• Others authorized by the Office of the President