Some Facts on the Integrated NAIA Terminal Fee

MANILA – How many passengers will benefit from the integration of international terminal fee into the passenger’s ticket?

In a newspaper advertisement published on Wednesday, the management of MIAA explained in numbers how and why passengers stand to benefit from the project.

A total of 7,671,643 passengers departed from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for the year 2013. Of the total, 5,621,540 paid the terminal fee and 2,050,103 were exempted passengers.

The number of exempted passengers was further broken down as follows:

OFWs: 1,975,695
Athletes: 3,806
Pilgrims: 5,892
Others: 64,710

“All of the above passengers (7.6M) lined-up either to pay the terminal fee or for validation of their exemption,” the MIAA ad states.

It further states that after the integration, there will be a drastic reduction of passengers who will line up for payment and validation given the following:

1. Total number of departing passengers who will not line up to pay terminal fee: 5,621,540
   Estimated number of exempted passengers who will buy their tickets locally and will not line up: 1,852,534
   3. Estimated number of exempted passengers who will buy their tickets online or abroad and will line up for refund: 197,569
2. MIAA explained that there are two phases for the project. The first phase include all exemptions mandated by law, such as Overseas Filipino Workers, National Athletes and those approved by the Office of the President will be recognized and honored upon showing of proof of entitlement when purchasing the ticket in the Philippines.
3. For the second phase, exemptions will be recognized for online and tickets bought abroad.
4. “This phase cannot be done yet given the present technology and other factors. But once these obstacles are surmounted, MIAA will launch this phase,” it stated.
5. The charged terminal fee will be refunded through two modes—prior departure or arrival of the exempted passenger.
6. Departing exempted passengers can get their money back at refund booths, manned by LandBank of the Philippines personnel, in all terminals after the immigration area.
7. Arriving exempted passengers can get their refund at the MIAA Administration Building.
8. MIAA stressed that consultations were made with stakeholders before the project was finalized. It added that the project is aimed at addressing the congestion problem at the airport terminals by reducing passenger queuing and improve passenger experience.
9. The project was supposed to take effect November 1, but the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 109 issued a temporary restraining order last October 31, granting the petition of several overseas Filipino workers groups and advocates.
10. The #Noto550 Coalition believes that the DOTC and MIAA should respect the exemptions bestowed to OFWs through Republic Act No. 8042 as amended by RA 10022.

(Source: ABSCBN News)