Miaa: Xiamen Airlines firm pays half of penalty cost for Naia mishap

DISMEMBERED Airport personnel retrieve the left engine and other parts of the Xiamen Airlines aircraft, which skidded off the runway of Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The engine broke off during landing in bad weather on Thursday night. INQUIRER file photo / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Xiamen Airlines has already paid half of the penalty charges imposed against the company following the runway mishap that led to the disruption of airport operations and cancelations of hundreds of flights in August.

Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) General Manager Ed Monreal said on Wednesday that Xiamen Airline has already paid P16-million worth of chargers last October 16.

“Sila po ay nagdeposit na, money transfer. More than 16M [P16 million] ang unang transfer na binayad nila,” Monreal said in a press conference.

The initial payment of Xiamen Airline covered the costs incurred when one of its passenger planes skidded off the runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

READ: Dozens of flights affected as plane skids off rain-soaked Naia runway

According to Monreal, Miaa officials had a “top-level meeting” with officials of Xiamen Airline company and other transportation officials on October 15 to discuss the matter.

“Nag-commit po na magbayad agad ‘yung pamunuan ng Xiamen doon sa first two bases of the charges. Nandun lahat ‘yung mga gastos,” he said, noting that commitment was made shortly after the meeting.

“Meron na ho kaming dokumento at hindi na ho namin kailangan bigyan ng supporting documents dahil they all agree that those charges are really due to them,” he said.

Monreal also said that the other P16 million is set to be received by Miaa once the documents requested by Xiamen have been validated.

“Humihingi ng documento to support the charges, which we did already; di pwede ipadala via e-mail,” he said.

“Wherein the delegation also committed, as soon as they validate all the charges, P16M [for the second transfer],” he added. /jpv