Newly installed Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) General Manager Eddie V. Monreal has allowed public or white taxicabs to join airport-accredited vehicles for a two-day trial run.
The aim is to increase the number of taxi-service vehicles at the premier airport, which has a backlog of about 2,500 vehicles per day.
These white taxis would be officially allowed to operate at the four Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) terminals on Monday, Monreal said. The Naia has about 5,000 accredited vehicles, including yellow taxis, limousine, coupon taxi and premium buses service, to help transport the 97,000 passengers a month who arrive at the Naia.
However, only 1,600 of the accredited vehicles are available on a daily basis. Monreal was told that “rolling stocks,” the term for cars, trucks, buses or rail business, has about 10- percent to 20-percent downtime for servicing and repairs, including the regular visit to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Land Transportation Office for renewal of franchise drivers’ licenses.
The white or public taxis, including Grab, are being allowed at the Naia to solve the perennial lack of transport. He vowed to streamline the taxi and limousine service at the Naia in the coming days. In this connection, Monreal said the Naia has come up with a three-pronged agenda to making the country’s premier airport live up to its name.
“We are ready to take steps to make the Ninoy Aquino International Airport into an airport that Filipinos can be truly proud of,” said Monreal, former Cathay Pacific station manager at the Naia.
Saying “change is coming,” Monreal said projects in revitalizing the Naia would revolve around service, safety and security, and decongestion of the four airport terminals.
“These three ultimately redound to public convenience, which must be the airport’s primary concern,” adding that, “the Naia, just like any business, should aim to satisfy its customers who, in this case, are the passengers.” “The Naia does not have enough accredited taxis and vehicles-for-hire to take thousands of domestic and international passengers arriving daily,” Monreal said, noting that the previous Miaa management was on the right track when it introduced accredited buses and allowed GrabCar services at the Naia.
“We are still ironing out details, particularly in terms of ensuring passenger safety, before going full blast [in] allowing white taxis to pick up passengers from the Naia terminals starting July 18,” he said.
Monreal said drivers of regular taxis must strictly adhere to rules that the Miaa will impose.
To further address passenger service, the Department of Transportation and Communications has inked an agreement with airline firms to make sure that the Naia comfort rooms are kept clean and well-maintained.
“Employees must also always be courteous to passengers and serve them with a smile,” he pointed out.
For safety and security, the Miaa plans to add more personnel, particularly from the Airport Police Department, in all the security-screening checkpoints at the Naia terminals and reduce queuing of passengers.
He revealed there are only 700 security-screening officers from the Office for Transportation Security assigned in the four terminals to handle thousands of people, saying, “that is really not enough, so we have to augment their number to facilitate security checks on departing passengers.”
He said the installation of a closed-circuit television system, involving high-resolution cameras
covering all areas at the Naia, will also be prioritized to ensure that there are no security blind spots.
The reactivation of the airport security center, a central desk connecting all agencies designed to provide immediate response to passenger complaints and concerns, is also in the works.
Monreal assured that the Miaa, with the help of the different airline companies, Civil Aviation Board and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, is coming up with a system that would greatly minimize flight delays, which usually cause crowding at the terminals.
He encouraged public feedback to identify areas where the Naia needs improvement and urged the media to help out in eliminating illegal activities and other malpractices at the airport.
1 comment
To solve the crisis and perennial lack of transport at 4 NAIA Terminals, it should be a regular Public BUS Transport System; to and from Makati CBD (central business district) – San Juan – Cubao – Trinoma QC and Manila – Roxas Blvd – Intramuros vice versa..
Mass Transport Railway System or PUBLIC BUS Transport system LINK ang ideal at kailangan…ganyan ang sitwasyon sa Hanoi – Ho Chi Mihn in Vietnam, Hongkong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta and other International Airport Terminals sa buong mundo..