Check-in system that bogged down in Naia now restored

A glitch in the communications network of Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Co. in Parañaque City, on Tuesday, affected the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), delaying international flights.

The computerized check-in system at Naia Terminal 1 broke down past 3 p.m. on Tuesday prompting airline firms to go manual. Only international flights at Terminal 1 were delayed until operations returned to normal on Wednesday morning.

According to Naia Terminal 1 manager Dante Basanta, operations at the airport went back to normal at 3 a.m. on Wednesday after the computerized check-in system, called the Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) system, was restored.

Basanta said that based on the explanation of PLDT, they encountered a network glitch on Tuesday afternoon on the Tambo, Parañaque City line. “That is where the four Naia terminals are connected,” he explained.

He pointed out that not only check-in counters but phone lines and even banks at the airport went offline apparently after PLDT’s fiber optic cables in Tambo were affected by an excavation in the area.

Basanta clarified that the delay on flights was due to the slowdown in the check-in process. “Airline employees had to verify everything manually,” he said.

He pointed out that only Terminal 1 suffered disruption in operations with six delayed flights of Saudia Airlines; Etihad Airways; China Airlines; China Southern Airlines, and Qatar Airways while other terminals were hardly or minimally affected.  Naia Terminal 4 telephone lines and automated teller machines bogged down.

The Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa), in a statement, expressed regret for the inconvenience to passengers caused by the “unexpected system breakdown.”

“The Miaa is working closely with its telecommunications provider to ensure better services for airport passengers,” the agency said. SM