Baggage handling at NAIA Terminal 3 now back to normal
MANILA, Philippines – After nearly a week of issues, baggage handling operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 have been restored to normal.
Cebu Pacific reported that as of Wednesday evening, October 23, 90% of the left-behind checked-in bags have been delivered to their respective owners. The budget carrier is also working to make sure that the remaining bags are delivered.
“Cebu Pacific is optimistic about NNIC’s [New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation] ongoing commitment to enhancing airport infrastructure and making further improvements. We believe these initiatives will significantly enhance the travel experience, ensuring smoother and more comfortable journeys for all passengers,” the company said.
The company also thanked the NNIC — which took over the management and operations of NAIA just last September 14 — for working with them to fix the issue.
The San Miguel Corporation-led NNIC previously said that they have already procured a new baggage handling system and are planning to implement additional redundancy measures to avoid similar issues in the future.
The airport’s current baggage handling system is said to already be 20 years old.
On Tuesday, there were as many as 821 checked-in bags that were left behind at the terminal while their owners had already reached their destinations. It was apparently a screening device linked to the system that caused the hiccup.
The NNIC plans to rehabilitate and modernize the country’s main international gateway.
Since the turnover, the NNIC hiked overnight parking fees to P1,000 from P300, and the price for VIP access up at P8,000 from P800. The new operator also increased aeronautical fees.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said that the increase in fees was all done with prior consultation and with the approval of the Cabinet.
With the recent fiasco over the delayed pieces of luggage, however, consumer advocacy group CitizenWatch Philippines is urging the Department of Transportation to suspend the implementation of the administrative order outlining the changes in airport fees.
“This just proves that the huge fee hikes from parking fees, take-off, and landing fees among others across the board are premature and unfair,” said Christopher “Kit” Belmonte, former Quezon City representative and co-convenor of CitizenWatch Philippines.
“Imposing all these fee adjustments while immediately failing customers just weeks after the takeover of the NAIA by NNIC is clearly not the best way to win the confidence and support of the passengers and the traveling public.” – Rappler.com