The New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the private sector operator of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), reported an improved on-time performance (OTP) despite handling a surge in passengers during the Undas peak travel season.
It said that between Oct. 29 and Nov. 4, NAIA handled 932,405 passengers and 5,627 flights — record volumes not seen in the last four years.
Despite taking the reins of the 76-year-old airport less than two months ago and constantly facing capacity limitations, NNIC said it achieved a notable 87.99 percent on-time performance (OTP) for arriving flights — surpassing the industry standard of about 80 percent.
The achievement highlights NAIA’s effectiveness in managing incoming aircraft flow, and providing a smooth arrival experience for passengers.
Departure OTP was slightly below standard at 75.46 percent, reflecting ongoing challenges with baggage handling processes.
A key factor contributing to these are malfunctions and breakdowns of lower deck loaders of airlines and their ground handlers. These equipment are used to load and unload baggage from the aircraft’s lower cargo hold.
These issues, exacerbated by a lack of available loaders and staffing shortages, resulted in baggage delays during the recent Undas peak season. Long immigration queues during peak times further compound the airport’s operational difficulties, it said.
NNIC said it has been actively engaged with airlines and their ground handlers to address these challenges. The operator meet with them to discuss solutions, which include airlines and their ground handlers investing in additional baggage-handling equipment such as lower deck loaders and increasing manpower to ensure sufficient staffing levels.
These discussions also focus on implementing other measures to expedite baggage delivery and minimize passenger inconvenience.
NNIC procured a new explosive detection system (EDS) in July to be integrated into the baggage handling system at Terminal 3. While the existing 20-year-old system recently malfunctioned, redundancy measures are already in place to ensure continued security and efficiency. The new system is expected to arrive and be installed by early 2025, it said.
