By MYLA IGLESIAS
Air ticket prices are expected to remain stable in October as the fuel surcharge stays at level 6, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).
In an advisory, the CAB said the applicable fuel surcharge for October 1 to 30 will remain at the same level as this month across passenger and cargo services for both domestic and international flights.
The CAB said airlines that intend to impose the fuel surcharge in October must file their application before the effectivity date.
Airline fuel surcharge is an optional fee imposed and collected by airlines to recover fuel costs and stem losses caused by an upward spike in fuel prices.
The fuel surcharge is not a part of the basic airfare and may be reduced or removed depending on the price of jet fuel in the market.
Air passenger volume in the country surged by 78 percent to 23.5 million in the first half of the year compared to last year’s 13.2 million passengers, the CAB said.
Domestic air passenger volume grew by 51 percent to 14.6 million, from 9.69 million a year ago, while international air passenger traffic jumped by 156 percent to 8.96 million, from 3.49 million passengers carried in the same period last year, as travel restrictions are lifted.
Meanwhile, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) are now experiencing the positive impact of the changes brought about by its Schedule and Terminal Assignment Rationalization (STAR) program.
This initiative, which began in December 2022 and involved terminal reassignments for select airlines, aimed to optimize the capacity of the four NAIA terminals.
As a result of the changes that concluded last July, MIAA said NAIA Terminal 2 has been exclusively designated for domestic flights, alongside NAIA Terminal 4, which serves only turboprop aircraft.
International flights are now processed exclusively at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3.
The shorter queuing time is a byproduct of the relocation of Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) personnel required for international flights from NAIA Terminal 2 to NAIA Terminals 1 and 3.
As a result of removing CIQ infrastructure such as counters and x-ray machines, MIAA said it can now boost the capacity of NAIA Terminal 2 from 7.5 million to 10 million passengers per year, while catering exclusively to Philippine Airlines, AirAsia and Royal Air’s domestic flights.
While the STAR program has concluded, Brian Co, MIAA officer-in-charge general manager, said similar terminal reassignments may occur later on as MIAA continues to enhance terminal operations and improve the passenger experience at the country’s main gateway.
