A consumer group calls on the government and the winning airport consortium to stop the looming massive airport fees hike.
In a statement released Thursday, CitizenWatch Philippines Co-Convenor Atty. Kit Belmonte said the group rejects the proposed increase in airport fees, which will only burden customers and discourage tourists and businesses from coming to the Philippines.
“We urge the government and the winning airport consortium to stop this looming hike. It is a brazen, unconscionable imposition on long-suffering passengers who have had to endure inadequate facilities and substandard service in our airports,” Belmonte said.
“At a time when Filipinos are struggling to cope with soaring prices of basic goods, finding ways to generate additional income, and making sacrifices to make ends meet, the significant increase in airport fees will only translate to more burden to our people. The increase will also be an additional, unnecessary cost that would discourage businesses and tourists from coming and staying here. It will run counter to the administration’s drive to attract investments and visitors,” he added.
Three aviation groups, the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines, the Board of Airline Representatives, and the Airline Operators Council earlier said that local travelers will soon see an almost 100-percent increase in passenger service charge, or P390 from P200, while international travelers will have to shell out 73% more, or P950 from P550.
They had written a letter to the Department of Transportation, calling to stop the “unreasonable and unaffordable” proposed fee hikes.
CitizenWatch Philippines also questioned the timing of the airport fees hike.
“The new deal promises to improve our airport, but why is the public being made to pay up long before such changes are implemented, and the benefits realized?” Belmonte pointed out.
“We expect our passenger terminals to be fully functional and well-maintained. Our runways, taxiways, maneuvering areas, aprons, aircraft parking areas, and airfield lighting must meet all operational and safety requirements. Global safety and firefighting standards should be maintained and constantly upgraded, as well as power supply, water, communications, navigation, surveillance, transfers, and air traffic management systems. Digital technologies and equipment for efficient operations must be in place,” he explained.
“In short, at a time when NAIA has yet to become a truly passenger-centric premier gateway, the idea of burdening customers with higher fees is simply unacceptable,” Belmonte added added.
Aside from passenger fees, the aviation groups said that other proposed fee increases include the landing and takeoff fees that will be charged to airlines. They said these fees is twice higher than that of Singapore’s Changi Airport and more than triple of other Southeast Asian airports.
Should these increases push through, the aviation groups warned that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport would be the most expensive airport in Asia.
Belmonte said this is the last thing the country needs now.
“NAIA has been at the center of so many controversies in the past – issues that have tarnished its reputation not only among Filipinos but before the world. A premature fee hike, long before any improvements are experienced and realized, is the last thing our airport, our country, and our people need,” he explained. ###
Official Statement of CitizenWatch Philippines
By: Atty. Christopher “Kit” Belmonte
Co-convenor, CitizenWatch Philippines
PROPOSED HIKE IN AIRPORT FEES IS PREMATURE, BRAZEN, UNCONSCIONABLE
CitizenWatch Philippines rejects in the strongest possible terms the proposed increase in airport fees at the soon-to-be privatized Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
At a time when Filipinos are struggling to cope with soaring prices of basic goods, finding ways to generate additional income, and making sacrifices to make ends meet, the significant increase in airport fees will only translate to more burden to our people.
The increase will also be an additional, unnecessary cost that would discourage businesses and tourists from coming and staying here. It will run counter to the administration’s drive to attract investments and visitors.
We share the sentiments of the three aviation groups that had written to the Department of Transportation, calling the proposed fee hikes unreasonable and unaffordable.
According to the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines, the Board of Airline Representatives and the Airline Operators Council, local travelers will see an almost 100-percent increase in passenger service charge, or P390 from P200, while international travelers will have to shell out 73% more, or P950 from P550.
We urge the government and the winning airport consortium to stop this looming hike. It is a brazen, unconscionable imposition on long-suffering passengers who have had to endure inadequate facilities and substandard service in our airports.
The new deal promises to improve our airport, but why is the public being made to pay up long before such changes are implemented, and the benefits realized?
We expect our passenger terminals to be fully functional and well-maintained. Our runways, taxiways, maneuvering areas, aprons, aircraft parking areas, and airfield lighting must meet all operational and safety requirements. Global safety and firefighting standards should be maintained and constantly upgraded, as well as power supply, water, communications, navigation, surveillance, transfers, and air traffic management systems. Digital technologies and equipment for efficient operations must be in place.
In short, at a time when NAIA has yet to become a truly passenger-centric premier gateway, the idea of burdening customers with higher fees is simply unacceptable.
NAIA has been at the center of so many controversies in the past – issues that have tarnished its reputation not only among Filipinos but before the world. A premature fee hike, long before any improvements are experienced and realized, is the last thing our airport, our country, and our people need. ###
REFERENCE
Atty. Kit Belmonte
Co-Convenor
CitizenWatch Philippines
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