The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has urged air travelers to reconsider bringing vulnerable individuals, including children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with medical conditions, to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for farewells and greetings.
The airport management is concerned about the well-being of airport users during this time, as the country is dealing with the damaging effects of an ongoing heat wave.
Recent incidents, such as an elderly individual who came directly to the airport to welcome her relatives after a medical treatment session, highlighted the health risks associated with the high temperatures.
The heat index is expected to remain dangerously high, reaching 40°C today and rising further to 41°C on the 13th of April.
MIAA General Manager Eric Jose Ines urges everyone to minimize non-essential visits, particularly with vulnerable family members, and instructs all operational departments to intensify efforts in assisting and overseeing passengers who may experience medical emergencies due to the heat.
These measures are integral to MIAA’s comprehensive strategy to ensure a secure and comfortable environment for all visitors at NAIA during these extreme weather conditions.
“We respect that it has become a tradition for our kababayans to send-off and welcome in bulk groups to their relatives at the airport, but the safety and well-being of everyone at our terminals is paramount. That is why we are advising all of them especially family members included in vulnerable groups should stay at their home instead of going out and experienced the scorching weather,” Ines explained.
Ines said earlier that MIAA is considering temporarily renting generator sets to alleviate heat at the airport.
Air conditioning units at NAIA Terminal 2 are experiencing issues with insufficient electrical power supply, affecting air travelers, particularly senior citizens and minors.
The outdated switch gears at the MIAA power station are causing the power system to overload and cause a power outage.
The architectural design of the building, filled with glass, allows heat from outside to enter the facilities.
During Holy Week, travelers experienced hot temperatures due to inadequate air conditioning caused by frequent power fluctuations.
MIAA is working diligently to find ways to reduce high temperatures in Terminal 2.
The airport manager said many chillers at MIAA are old, and what they do is take some chillers that they use in Terminal 3 and transfer them to the affected areas in Terminal 2.
The MIAA engineering department is planning to get generator sets that would provide enough power for the airport due to the lack of generator sets.