For arrivals’ sake, Naia relaxes limit on unaccredited taxis

Bowing to a clamor from airline companies and travelers, the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) is allowing regular taxis to pick up passengers at two of the four terminals of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) starting April 20.

MIAA general manager Jose Angel Honrado said “unaccredited” taxis will again be allowed at Terminals 2 and 3, but only during peak hours.

At Terminal 2, they can enter from 2 p.m to 6 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. At Terminal 3, there will be four window periods: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

For years, MIAA allowed regular cabs to pick up riders at Naia only if they had also brought passengers when they arrived there.

“Empty” or unhired cabs were thus barred from entering the Naia complex.

Airport officials mainly allow a queue of accredited cabs to pick up new arrivals. The restriction was also in response to security concerns over regular cabs that overcharge or are being used for robbery.

There are currently 1,677 accredited taxis at Naia. But the road congestion in Metro Manila often delays their return trip to the airport, hence the need for more readily-available vehicles to cope with the high passenger traffic, Honrado added.