Philippines Set To Include Terminal Fee In Int'l Ticket Prices From October

[crad]

https://anc.yahoo.com/news/naia-terminal-fees-to-be-included-in-airline-ticket-costs-085941785.html

 

The Philippines is currently the only ASEAN country that collects terminal fees at the airport—but this may no longer be the case in the near future.

Expected benefits

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and international air carrier representatives have agreed to include the international passenger service charge (IPSC), commonly known as terminal fees, in the price of airline tickets starting October 2014.

That means departing passengers for international flights will soon no longer have to line up to pay terminal fees at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Jun Abaya said in a statement, "(This new policy) improves traveling convenience and efficiency at NAIA by removing a whole process which unnecessarily adds to the passengers’ processing time, requiring them to line up when payment can be done ahead of time."

The integration of the terminal fee in airline tickets will most definitely shorten the queuing time for departing passengers at the NAIA, as well as free up a sizable area at the airport since the terminal fee counters will be removed.

When will it take effect?

The MIAA is set to sign the memorandum of agreement with air carriers later this month. Under the deal, the terminal fee will be integrated by default in the tickets, whether purchased online or through ticketing offices or travel agents.

Again, the integration program will begin in October 2014. There is a one-year transition period ending in September 2015. The full implementation of the policy will be in October 2015.

The MIAA currently collects a P550 terminal fee for the maintenance of the airport (P390) and aviation security (P60), while P100 goes to the national government.

For domestic flights from NAIA, the P200 terminal fee has been included in airline tickets since August 2012.

[JJReyes]

A close friend had to stay overnight in Manila to catch a flight to Kuala Lumpur the following day. He was shocked to learn he had to pay a terminal fee. Luckily, I had given him a few pesos for tips and beer money. This was a first time for him. 

[i am bob]

it really hasn't been all that many years since other countries have adapted the tax-included scheme...  I can remember more than once wondering why the government didn't include all the cash needed to get from point A to point B.  Ah, the good old Air Farce days!

[scott h]

A lot of us are soooooooo spoiled by the systems of our home countries. Once we did a training rotation to Ukraine. We flew out of a small Airport in L'viv and the us NCO's and Officers had to dig deep to pay the terminal fee for the privates that spent their last cent on beer and vodka on their last night of liberty. GAWD the good old days :999:

[crad]

I think a lot of people will miss collecting the money the way they did before, that is for sure. Do the math yourself, They get 30 million passengers a year and each of them are paying $12 just to use the building. That is 1 million dollars in cash EVERY DAY. And look at the state of NAIA. The passengers don't get much of a return on their money do they.

[sandwichmaker]

365million dollars isn't a huge amount to run an international airport. I'm sure that money goes to good retirement funds, I mean "maintenance".