It’s official: Plane tickets will include terminal fees

Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—It’s official.

Starting Aug. 1 this year, domestic airline passengers flying out of Manila will no longer have to line up to pay their terminal fees prior to their departure.

The Department of Transportation and Communications this week announced that it had formalized an agreement with airlines to integrate terminal fees into ticket prices, thus making air travel more convenient for passengers.

The memorandum of agreement on the fee integration was signed by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and the airline companies.

The government was represented by Jose Angel Honrado, general manager of MIAA while the airline companies were led by their top executives. They include Iñigo Zobel, president and CEO of Air Philippines; Lance Gokongwei, president and CEO of Cebu Air, Inc; Ramon Ang, president and COO of PAL; Avelino Zapanta, president and CEO of Seair Inc.; Ramon Guico III, president and CEO Sky Pasada; and Alfredo M. Yao, president and CEO of Zest Air.

“We appreciate the airline companies’ full cooperation ‘who worked assiduously’ in instituting the new system to provide a better and efficient airport service to air travelers,” Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas said in a statement.

The integration of terminal fee into the airline tickets had been previously rejected by carriers due to the perceived complexity of sorting out the amount due to the number of exemptions granted by the government to different passenger groups.

The arrangement is expected to save time and add convenience to 70 percent of domestic passengers who are not entitled to exemptions.  Only exempted passengers such as athletes, overseas workers, senior citizens and babies under 2 years old, will line up at designated claim booths for refund.

Currently, passengers have to complete at least four steps upon entering the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, before they can finally board their planes. These are the initial security screening upon entering the terminal, checking in to get their respective boarding passes, payment of terminal fees, and the final security check.