OFFICIALS of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) are confident that airlines will sustain their current On-Time Performance (OTP) during the Undas season of 2023.
MIAA recorded a peak OTP of 80 percent last month, which equaled the high OTP recorded in March of this year, and the OTP rating has shown further improvement in October, with an average OTP of 82.38 percent recorded for the first 18 days of October from the 13,519 flights that operated at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
This indicates that a significant majority of flights departed and arrived within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, which is well within international standards.
From October 1 to 18, 2023, the MIAA accommodated 2,076,062 passengers at NAIA, with daily counts varying between 109,000 to 123,000.
According to MIAA Officer in Charge, Bryan Co, they remain positive that the rising trend in OTP will be sustained during the peak season based on the successful operations during “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa 2023” in April, which managed 1,179,398 passengers traveling through the nation’s premier gateway over a ten-day period.
The Holy Week peak this year recorded 7,408 flights, averaging 741 flights daily, with an impressive average OTP of 84.76 percent, enhancing NAIA’s operational efficiency during this busy period and improving the overall terminal experience for travelers.
“With the commitment of our airline and industry partners, we aim to maintain our strong OTP record from the Lenten rush this year,” Co pointed out. “Our objective is to minimize crowding in passenger and aircraft movement areas through the timely dispatch of flights. We’re striving to establish this as a norm at NAIA. Thanks to our partnerships with airlines and government agencies, passengers are starting to notice a positive shift in NAIA operations.”
Co further noted that airlines have developed contingency plans to avoid compromising passenger comfort. Cebu Pacific, for instance, with the most local destinations, has increased its spare aircraft number to mitigate effects of any flight disruptions due to unforeseen incidents. They have also teamed up with Terminal 3 food stalls to cater to their passengers during any flight delays or disruptions.
Philippine Airlines, the national flag carrier, for its part, recently launched a paid lounge in Terminal 2, offering an additional comfort option for passengers.
Air Asia, meanwhile, plans to establish multiple customer help desks in Terminal 2 and promotes self check-in through kiosks or the Airasia Superapp.
The Department of Transportation’s nationwide “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Barangay & SK Elections and Undas 2023” will take place from October 27 to November 5.