Airport authorities put up one-stop shop for special flights
MANILA, Philippines — Government agencies based at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) will be creating soon a one-stop shop to process special flights and ensure such trips are not being used in human trafficking, the spokesperson of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Laging Handa briefing, BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said that during the meeting organized by the Office for Transportation Security, one recommendation agreed on was to have the one-stop shop for processing special flights, which include chartered and private flights, “so that the procedures will be harmonized.”
“The recommendation to have a one-stop shop is a really big help and a big change in the processing so that the procedures of the various government agencies at the border [controls] will be more harmonized,” Sandoval said.
“We saw in the recent issue that there are separate procedures which is why there was confusion on which agency is in charge of certain permits or clearances that are given for each part of the travel,” she added.
Sandoval was referring to the Dubai-bound chartered flight with seven passengers and three crew members that took off from Naia’s Balabag ramp last Feb. 13.
An official of the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group claimed there were violations in the handling of the flight and its passengers. The Manila International Airport Authority, the state company that operates Naia, said that all permits and procedures were in order.
Sandoval confirmed that the BI received a report that there was an immigration officer present at the site even though he was not assigned to the flight.
“There will be an investigation as to why his presence was [needed] there and if it will be found out that he has violated immigration policies, he will face administrative sanctions,” she said.
Asked about the belated adding of the name of the seventh person to the general declaration form that the Aviation Security Group had issued, Sandoval replied: “This is not uncommon, it’s like in regular commercial flights, [where] there are last minute check-in of passengers wanting to catch the flight.”
She also justified the “last-minute add-on” in the general declaration form, saying it was noted and duly processed by the assigned immigration officer and included in his post-activity report.
According to Sandoval, the BI gives onsite immigration clearances to the passengers and crew of special flights, which include private jets, diplomatic planes, and chartered flights. Procedures regarding the aircraft’s departure are enforced by other government agencies.
She said that, unlike on regular commercial flights, passengers and crew of special flights are not processed at immigration counters.
