CAAP: Airports on heightened alert during Holy Week, April 2-10
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MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Tuesday announced that all airports under its supervision would be placed on heightened alert from April 2-10 as the nation observes the Holy Week.
The CAAP said in a statement that Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista ordered the heightened alert status in preparation for “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa 2023.”
During that period, maximum service and security personnel deployment will be implemented in all CAAP-operated airports.
A “no leave” policy will also be in place during “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos.”
The CAAP said it has already coordinated with the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Unit (AVSEU), Office of Transportation Security (OTS), Department of Tourism (DOT), and Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for efficient processing of passengers, especially at check-in counters.
Malasakit Help Desks and hotlines manned by duty officers will also be set up to accommodate passenger concerns, it said.
Further, the CAAP said it has already requested airline stakeholders to deploy additional personnel to accommodate the influx of passengers during this season.
It also reminded all passengers to comply with minimum health protocols within enclosed areas of the airport.
Travel surge in April may reach more than 2 million
The CAAP, in the same statement, likewise said that it expects the number of travelers this April to breach the 2-million mark, as it projected that passenger air traffic recovery in the Philippines would possibly increase between seven to 10 percent annually amid eased travel curbs.
Citing April 2021 data, the CAAP said airports under its supervision welcomed 231,479 passengers. It further said that it served a total of 1,715,720 passengers based on the April 2022 data.
Travelers should arrive 2-3 hours before flight
In a televised public forum on Tuesday, the CAAP urged passengers to ensure they arrive at the airport at least two to three hours before the flight to avoid inconvenience.
“Well dapat po sa pagkakataong ito dapat agahan nila ‘yung checkin mga 2-3 hours before the flight andiyan na sila para hindi sa mainconveniente,” said CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio.
(Well, this time, they should check in early, about 2-3 hours before the flight, they should be there so as not to be inconvenienced.)
“At kung kailangan nila ng assist or tulong meron po tayong help desks para sila ay ma-assist,” he added.
(And if they need assistance or help, we have help desks so they can be assisted.)
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