Month’s delay for terminal fee integration

MANILA, Philippines–The integration of the airport terminal fee into the cost of an international airline ticket will be implemented effective Nov. 1 and not Oct. 1 as earlier announced to give passengers more time to learn its mechanics, the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) said on Monday.

To avoid long queues of international passengers paying the terminal fee, the Miaa announced last week that the P550 international passenger service charge or terminal fee was to be included in the airline ticket cost starting Wednesday.

The start of the one-year transition program, however, had to be delayed another month “to give more time for affected passengers, especially those exempted from the terminal fee,” the Miaa said.

Vicente Guerzon Jr., Miaa officer in charge, said the postponement of the fee implementation was decided after consultation with OFW party-list Rep. Roy Señeres on Friday.

“Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya agreed to the deferment, to adequately inform passengers about the mechanics of the implementation,” Guerzon said, adding that they expected no further deferments on Nov. 1.

The integration will be implemented simultaneously by all airlines nationwide covering passengers who are flying from Manila to any destination. The Miaa said the process would be fully implemented by October next year.

Exempted from payment of the terminal fee are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Muslim pilgrims endorsed by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, athletes endorsed by the Philippine Sports Commission, and those authorized by the Office of the President.–Maricar B. Brizuela

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