The government praised Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air which registered higher flight on-time performance.
PAL, according to its senior vice president for Airline Operations Capt. Stanley Ng, was able to achieve an all-time high OTP rating of 92 percent in October, and consistent monthly OTPs of 80 percent, 82 percent and 89 percent for the months of July to September, respectively.
Ng attributed PAL’s latest accomplishments to the collective efforts made by the Manila International Airport Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and Department of Transportation in improving the facility of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“This achievement was made possible because the DOTr, MIAA and CAAP acted with determination to build rapid exit taxiways at NAIA, enhance air navigation systems, renovate runways and taxiways, improve the coordination of airport slots and take other initiatives to promote a more efficient Philippine aviation industry,” he said.
Data from the Civil Aeronautics Board also showed that Cebu Pacific recorded an OTP of 84.71 percent for its October flights, an improvement from 80.66 percent in September.
“The improved OTP is a result of the close cooperation and coordination with concerned government agencies to minimize delays across our network. The industry is also better coordinated so that when there are weather disruptions, such as lightning alerts that close the airfield, we are able to minimize the impact,” said Michael Ivan Shau, CEB chief operations officer.
OTP is one of the measures of aviation and airport efficiency. It indicates the percentage of flight departures and arrivals that take place within 15 minutes from schedule, including cancellations.
In June, PAL and Cebu Pacific, along with three other Philippine-based airline operators, signed a pledge of commitment to help decongest NAIA through improved on-time flight performance, support the development of other gateways including Sangley Airport in Cavite, and improve the travel experience of air passengers.
Additionally, airline OTP is published daily, as directed for by DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, to push for improved performance and promote the airlines’ accountability to the air-riding public.
Meanwhile, PAL credits the DOTr for taking decisive action to upgrade the country’s aviation infrastructure and systems with the aim of reducing congestion at key airports and navigational airways, leading to a more efficient air transport system nationwide.
“We congratulate the DOTr and the aviation authorities for pro-actively translating the President’s Build, Build, Build directive into simultaneous action over the past two years, thus allowing airlines to operate more efficiently and register positive improvements in on-time performance,” said PAL president Gilbert Santa Maria.
“As a result of these actions, combined with the efforts of airlines to improve fleet management and turn around aircraft more efficiently, departure delays at the NAIA have seen significant reductions. This makes air travel more convenient and stress-free for the traveling public, and in particular for our PAL passengers because PAL operates the largest international airline hub at the NAIA,” Santa Maria said.
According to the Air Carriers’ Association of the Philippines, in addition to PAL’s high on-time flight records, the combined OTP of several Philippine air carriers has likewise increased to 78 percent in the July to September period of 2019, as compared to the 65 percent and 62 percent ratings, respectively, for the first two quarters of 2019.
Tugade commended the airlines for their improved OTPs, as he encouraged them to further enhance air passenger comfort and experience.
“I am happy that months after we signed the Pledge of Commitment, we continue to see improvements in OTP across the industry. I hope these efforts are sustained to make air travel in the Philippines more efficient and comfortable,” he said.