MANILA, Philippines – Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) assured the public on Friday that it is prepared for the surge of passengers this coming holiday season.
In the statement, MIAA said it has joined the Department of Transportation in its preparations for the yearly OPLAN Biyaheng Ayos for the coming Undas and Christmas holidays.
Among MIAA’s initiatives is to set up an Oplan help desk to assist passengers and will be the focal point for all inquiries on airport or airline concerns.
Personnel from the Civil Aeronautics Board, meanwhile, will attend to issues about passenger rights.
MIAA said it has also encouraged airline operators to appoint focal persons to attend to airline-related concerns and to work hand-in-hand with the duty representatives at the Oplan desk.
The agency will also ensure the proper deployment of equipment and manpower resources to facilitate the handling of flights.
MIAA also assured that it will increase security and patrolling to deter petty crime incidents in public areas. Perimeter patrol will likewise be heightened.
General Manager Cesar Chiong appealed to passengers to continue observing health protocols and to coordinate with airlines regarding entry requirements that may be necessary at their destination.
MIAA said the lifting of the travel restrictions and the effective vaccination program of the government has helped in boosting air travelers’ confidence as evidenced by the gradual rise in the number of passengers
It said the total monthly passenger traffic in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport reached 77% of pre-pandemic levels or about 3 million passengers.
In addition to this, domestic passenger traffic has peaked at approximately 109% or 1.94 million passengers, different from the same period in 2019, while international passenger traffic remained at a little over 50% or 1.06 million passengers of pre-pandemic levels.
–Alyssa Joy Quevedo, INQUIRER.net trainee
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