MANILA, Philippines – A total of two thousand, two hundred ninety one prohibited items were confiscated by security personnel from passengers at the four Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals in 2018, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said Monday.
Hence, MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal renewed his appeal to air passengers to cooperate with security screening procedures at the NAIA terminals.
“Security checks should not be perceived as an inconvenience when you have thousands of lives to protect every day,” Monreal said in a statement.
“We would rather err on the side of safety than lose them,” he added.
MIAA records showed that the confiscated include range from empty bullets shells used as amulets to semi-automatic pistols.
Monreal urged the public to check the Office for Transport Security’s list of prohibited items in carry-on and checked-in bags.
According to the MIAA chief, passengers have to go through seven different security inspections upon entering the airport terminal until they reach the pre-departure gate.
Their check-in bags also undergo four levels of security check prior to aircraft loading.
These security procedures, Monreal said, are done in accordance to the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the National Civil Aviation Security Program. / gsg