AIRPORT authorities are planning to allow other public transportation services, such as Uber and GrabTaxi, to operate at the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport (Naia) to fill up the demand during peak arrival periods.
However, the airport’s transportation association, called Airport Transportation Concessionaire Association Inc. (Atcai), fears the addition of other transportation services could jeopardize
the safety and security of the riding public.
Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) chief Jose Angel Honrado said they are currently in a dialogue with Uber and GrabTaxi, and “hopefully, soon, we can see them servicing the airport.”
“We have roughly 1,500 airport transport vehicles, and the Miaa gave the concessionaires notice of conditional award for 296 more yellow taxis, although only 76 had been deployed since May 2015,” Miaa Spokesman David de Castro said. “If the concessionaires can’t supply [the slack], then other means will be
considered by management.”
The Miaa has been criticized because many passengers have complained of the lack of airport- accredited taxi during peak arrival periods, which occurs between 2 and 5 p.m. and between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. daily.
There were instances when some passengers, especially during the Christmas holidays, sleep at the terminal due to lack of transport. Others had to wait for several hours before they could grab a taxi to take them home.
In other instances, passengers complained of being harassed by some taxi drivers who demanded a negotiated payment, instead of using the meter. Still, other drivers charged in American dollars.
De Castro said the three
major passenger terminals received an average of 50,000 passengers a
day, most of them arriving practically at the peak-hour window, thus, straining the capacity of the accredited airport vehicles.
The slack is taken advantage of by “outside” taxis, offering rides at negotiated prices, according to the airport taxi association.
The Miaa had suspended some of the accredited drivers who were the object of complaints by passengers, while others were terminated.
The president and spokesman
of Atcai, Romy Sayaman, said there are 30 vehicle concessionaires who welcome the decision to allow public transportation to operate at the Naia.
However, he said, they fear the safety of departing and arriving passengers when they ride with the wrong drivers, who did not undergo training by the Miaa.
Sayaman said they knew that it was the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) that gave the Miaa the green light to allow the entry of Uber and GrabTaxi cars to operate at the
premier airport.
“We will not argue with the DOTC decision, but we are only asking for fair treatment,” he said, adding that the association has more than 2,000 accredited drivers.
“Everyone of them had to undergo several security seminars before we are allowed to operate at the airport,” he said.
“If Uber and GrabTaxi would be allowed to operate at the airport, then they must also pay the corresponding fees like us. Hindi naman kami papayag na libre sila [We will not agree that they should be free from charges],” Sayaman added.
Airport records indicate that Atcai is paying millions of pesos annually to the Miaa. Each A-class vehicle pays P2,750 in rent, class B or coupon taxi pays P1,200, and class C—the same as yellow taxis—pays P600 per unit.
Their fees are separate from the parking fee of P700 per car each month.
Atcai said that drivers found at fault for various infractions are penalized from P2,000 to P5,000, aside from the confiscation and cancellation of their access passes.
“Our drivers are even required to wear white socks while on duty and noncompliance will mean suspension or penalty of P1,000,” Sayaman said.
He said the airport-accredited taxi meters are calibrated by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) every six months.
The grant of access privilege within the Naia complex is not a matter of right, but from concession, which may be revoked or canceled anytime, Sayaman said.
Airport-accredited taxi fares are also prescribed by the LTFRB, which includes the use of tollways.
Sayaman said Atcai members could not simply add more vehicles because many of them would stand idle outside of the peak-hour window.
He said other airports in Asia, like Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Shanghai or Taiwan, have efficient railway systems that connect their airports to downtown cities.
“These airports do not experience the accumulation of passengers, like what happens at the Naia ,
because the trains usually take many of the passengers away to their respective cities,” he said.
Because of complaints against airport taxis, the LTFRB conducts random inspections of the vehicles.
This comes following various complaints brought to the attention of the Miaa about overcharging of passengers, particularly through fake dollar-rate cards, Sayaman said.
The Miaa has not approved any dollar rate for airport-accredited taxis. All fares are charged in Philippine peso, de Castro said.
Sayaman said they have invested millions of pesos and do not want their business jeopardized.
“We invested from P50 million to P100 million in this business, then all of a sudden our investments would be threatened because foreign owners have just entered the airport?” he asked, adding that the airport needs to give them some protection, as well.
Sayaman denied that any of the Atcai membe wrs were overcharging customers or that some of them were asking for American dollars in payment.
He hinted that some airport policemen, in cahoots with unaccredited drivers, were the ones harassing passengers, demanding negotiated payment.
He said Atcai doesn’t have power to arrest colorum drivers but they report these abusive drivers to the airport authorities.
“Hindi maglalakas ng loob ang mga illegal kung walang protection [Illegal drivers would not be emboldened without protection],” Sayaman said but did not elaborate, fearing reprisals.
He added that, the illegal drivers and colorums are the ones responsible for the overpricing of fares and charging in American dollars.
He said from their investigation, they found that illegal drivers charge foreign passengers $25 from Naia Terminal 1 to the Manila domestic airport. Other colorum drivers charge about $140 from Naia Terminal 1 to Olongapo City.
Sayaman said it is common knowledge that taxis from outside the terminal, which come into the airport to drop passengers off, could not pick up passengers on the way out of the Naia without paying bribes to some policemen.