Photo courtesy of Department of Transportation.
QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The recent hike in airport fees at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was discussed during several Cabinet meetings and was not a unilateral decision by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), according to Secretary Jaime J. Bautista.
Bautista denied a recent report by a news website that claimed that DOTr unilaterally approved the increase in airport charges and bypassed Cabinet approval.
Interviewed by the media on the sidelines of the 2nd Aviation Summit hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines at the Marriott Hotel Manila in Pasay City on Wednesday, October 2, Bautista said, “That [report] is a false statement. That’s not true. Sinasabi dun na, we approved the rates without approval from Cabinet.”
(It was claimed in the report that we approved the rates without approval from Cabinet.)
“It passed through the Cabinet meetings. There were many Cabinet meetings that we had to discuss this,” Bautista said.
He noted that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. himself was very supportive of it.
Bautista also said there is a need to raise various airport rates so that the San Miguel-led New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), NAIA’s new operator, can generate revenues and recoup their investments to fund the rehabilitation projects.
“The reason for this is for us to be able to generate revenues, especially for the concessionaire, for them to be able to finance the infrastructure requirements to modernize the airport. This is for the concessionaire to be able to also recover their investments and for them to spend money for the modernization of NAIA,” Bautista was quoted as saying.
“It’s almost double. You know, the rate—the last increase was in 2000. So for the last 24 years, there were no increases in the fees that we charge in the airport,” he added.
He noted that aside from parking fees, other airport fees have already increased, like landing, takeoff, and even aircraft parking fees. He said this was all part of the Manila International Airport Authority Administrative Order, which was also studied by the Asian Development Bank.
Bautista said these fee adjustments, which he reiterated are governed by the Manila International Airport Authority Administrative Order (AO) No. 1, series of 2024, have been approved by government regulators.
Based on the AO, as revised, airlines operating domestic aircraft weighing up to 50,000 kilos will be incurring a minimum fee of P15,417, according to reports. For aircraft weighing between 50,000 and 100,000 kilos, the minimum landing and takeoff fee is set at P4,817.80.
It was further stated that domestic aircraft over 100,000 kilos will be charged a minimum fee of P10,806, and for international air traffic, the minimum landing and takeoff fee for aircraft weighing up to 50,000 kilos is $794.
Also, aircraft in the 50,000- to 100,000-kilo range will pay a minimum fee of $248.12, and for international aircraft over 100,000 kilos, the minimum fee is $557.73.
Bautista said, “There are countries that are collecting higher than the new rates. I think the reason for this is for us to be able to generate revenue, especially for the concessionaire, for them to be able to finance the infrastructure requirements to modernize the airport.”
The DOTr chief clarified, “It won’t necessarily lead to higher fees because the airlines can absorb part of it. The adjustments are for the concessionaire to be able to also recover their investments and spend money for the modernization of the airport.” (PIA DMD)
