AIRPORT SCRIPT

How to Survive Naia Airport in Manila, Philippines

BY MICHAEL AQUINO

Updated 03/21/19

Only a masochist would voluntarily fly into “the world's worst airport”, which was what the Philippines'
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was from 2011 to 2013, as judged by the merciless
reviewers on the Guide to Sleeping in Airports.

“Collapsing ceilings, overcrowding, rampant bribery, and taxi drivers scamming travelers on fares”
were just a few of the litany of complaints that hung about Manila's principal airport like a bad smell.
Major recent renovations have gone some way to address the problem. While NAIA is presently not
among the world's worst, it still counts as Asia's 8th worst.

Terminal 1 is a huge Brutalist concrete hulk designed by a Filipino national artist and completed in
1981. The first international terminal on NAIA, Terminal 1 serves all international airlines except for a
handful that moved their operations to Terminal 3 in 2014.

The “World's Worst” title is largely due to Terminal 1's decaying infrastructure pre-renovation. While
much of the problems have been addressed, Terminal 1 remains terminally congested, still handling
the bulk of international flights arriving into Manila.

Terminal 2 serves as flag carrier Philippine Airlines' exclusive terminal for both domestic and
international flights. The terminal is shaped like an arrow, with its north wing reserved for international
flights and its south wing for domestic Philippines flights.

Terminal 3 is NAIA's newest terminal, built to address Terminal 1's increasing congestion. Able to
handle over 13 million passengers per year, the 20 boarding gates and 140 check-in counters
effortlessly handle 4,000 passengers an hour.

Terminal 4 is a small, one-level domestic terminal lacking a sky bridge. Passengers exit directly onto
the tarmac to board one of the airlines servicing this terminal, among them AirAsia Zest, Air Swift
(servicing the only flight to El Nido), SkyJet and Cebgo.

Scams

Part of NAIA's horrible reputation rests on the proliferation of scam artists inside masquerading as
airport personnel. The following make up a short list of the techniques scammers in NAIA use to
separate travelers from their money.

Tanim Bala. Literally “bullet planting”: luggage inspectors will smuggle a small-caliber bullet into your
luggage, then extort you for cash or valuables. A major media uproar in 2015 may have driven this out
of the airport, but there's no telling when these will make a comeback.

Tourist bribes. Corrupt NAIA staff like to give foreign travelers a hard time in a variety of creative
ways, like actor Taylor Kitsch being hit up for a new iPhone by an underhanded customs officer.

“Colorum” taxis. Yellow airport taxis may refuse to use the meter; unscrupulous coupon taxi
dispatchers might take you to an unlicensed car that charges way more than the official rate.

A survey conducted by website Sleeping in Airports showed that NAIA was the sixth worst airport to
have a layover in 2017.
Sleeping in Airport said Iloilo International Airport, Cebu-Mactan International Airport, Clark
International Airport, and Davao International Airport are among the top 25 best airports in Asia in
2017.

The DOTr cited the following reforms made during the Duterte administration:

 Restriction on general aviation to prioritize commercial flights and reduce flight delays;

 Imposition of the five-minute rule [where pilots who declare they are ready to take off must
depart within the prescribed time or they would be put back at the back of the queue] to
reduce flight delays and instill discipline among airlines;

 Construction of Rapid Exit Taxiways to allow an aircraft to leave the runway at higher speed
and increase flight movements; and

 Provision of cleaner toilets additional seats, free Wi-Fi, and Well-Wishers’ Area

The shortage of air traffic capacity is the biggest impediment to tourism growth. To give you an idea of
how acute the shortage is, as of 2015, the total capacity of our international airports (NAIA, Clark,
Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, Caticlan, etc.) stood at 42.8 million passengers. Air traffic reached 56.5
million that year. We were operating 32% above capacity. The situation is worse today what with air
traffic well over 60 million.

-Andrew J. Masigan

Last year, NAIA handled 293,981 aircraft movements, 45 million passengers and 738,698 tons of
cargo. As mentioned earlier, this is already 45% more than the capacity it was built for. Believe it or
not, the overstressed airport must still take on 20% more volume in the next three years or until Clark
and the new Bulacan airports can absorb a portion of the air traffic.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

As the physical site where transfer is made between air transportation mode or between land and air
transportation modes, an airport is the most essential and integral part of the air transportation
system.

Drawing on the CALABARZON region’s culture of hospitality and welcoming guests, good road
infrastructure, its being host to numerous world-class economic zones, commercial and industrial
establishments, site for magnificent tourist spots and amenities, and the location of the Batangas
International Port, the Batangas International Airport Project is planned to significally spur
development and establish a new regional commercial, industrial and air transportation hub in this
southern part of the country.

The strategic location of the Batangas Province which will provide greater accessibility and comfort for
passengers and business flyers is anticipated to set a new benchmark for airport users.

This project is consistent with the initiatives and the core projects of the national government that will
help maintain the country’s robust economic growth, improve traffic management and investment
framework which include roads, bridges, airports, tourism, harvest facilities, railways, ferry system and
others.

It likewise supports traffic decongestion schemes, as well as climate change adaptation strategies;
that is: provision of an alternative airport for the existing ones that the country has.