SAN MIGUEL-LED consortium New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. is on track to take over the operations of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), with plans to spend between P3 billion and P5 billion on the construction of a new off-ramp from the NAIA Expressway to Terminal 3, while also considering the implementation of curb pricing at the airport.
“We have a better understanding of aviation. You will see a lot of improvements… All these issues can be fixed; it will be done,” San Miguel Corp. (SMC) President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang told reporters on Monday.
In March, New NAIA Infrastructure (formerly SMC SAP & Co. Consortium) signed a P170.6-billion contract to operate, maintain, and upgrade the country’s primary gateway for 25 years.
The group is expected to take over the operations of the Philippines’ main gateway by Sept. 14.
The permit for the construction of the planned off-ramp from the NAIA Expressway to Terminal 3 has already been secured and will be constructed within one year, Mr. Ang said, adding that an underground option is also being considered to further ease traffic congestion in the area.
“If an underground option is not necessary, then it will be much cheaper. We are assessing if an underground (for the off-ramp) is still needed; then we will build it,” he said.
SMC is also working on airline reassignment, which aims to improve passenger queues and enhance the overall passenger experience.
“It will be fine-tuned. We have not finalized it; there is no one silver-bullet solution. We can reassign some airlines by November… The realignment will immediately relieve,” Mr. Ang said.
Aside from this, SMC is considering implementing curb pricing at the airport — a fee charged to vehicles using specific areas, such as curbsides, to manage traffic congestion and improve space efficiency — though Mr. Ang did not disclose the exact amount to be collected.
“In other countries, there’s a curbside fee. In short, you are free to drop off your passenger for a while, but if you stay beyond [the allotted time], you will be charged. We are fine-tuning it; we are studying it,” Mr. Ang said.
The New NAIA Infrastructure plans to construct a new passenger terminal building with a capacity of 35 million passengers annually as part of efforts to alleviate airport congestion.
“It has to be within the concession agreement; if it’s over or under the agreement, they can sue us. We will follow the agreement up to the dot,” Mr. Ang said.
Further, Mr. Ang said the anticipated increase in passenger service fees and the landing and take-off fees at NAIA are all included in the terms of reference of the NAIA project.
“We will not change anything; these are already included in the terms of reference provided by the government before the public bidding,” he said.
In June, the Department of Transportation announced that the proposed increase in passenger service fees at NAIA is intended to enhance operational efficiency.
The department said that the planned rate hike is within the approved parameters, terms, and conditions specified in the tender documents for the NAIA rehabilitation project.
Passenger service charges, also known as terminal fees, are imposed on departing passengers. Landing and take-off fees, on the other hand, are charges levied for the use of airport facilities and services during aircraft landings and takeoffs. Both fees contribute to the total cost of airfares paid by passengers.
The government anticipates earning P900 billion from the project, equating to P36 billion per year. This figure is 20 times larger than the P1.17 billion annually remitted by the Manila International Airport Authority over the 13 years through 2023, according to the Department of Transportation. — Ashley Erika O. Jose