Airlines operating at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have remitted P259.355 million in unused terminal fees to NAIA operator Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).
MIAA general manager Ed Monreal said sister airlines Cebu Pacific and Cebgo were the first to turn over, on July 5, 2018, the amount of P245.611 million representing its collection for unused tickets of international passengers who travelled from February 1, 2015 to April 30, 2018, and domestic passengers who travelled for the period August 1, 2012-April 30, 2018.
Other airlines that also remitted unused terminal fees recently were Singapore Airlines (P4.302 million for February 2015 to March 2016); Kuwait Airways (P1.943 million for February 2015 to December 2016); KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (P1.082 million for February 2016 to June 2017); Ethiopian Airlines (P92,400 for June 2015 and April 2016); Qatar Airways (P1,308,450 for February 2015 to December 2015); and Cathay Pacific (P5,017,650).
MIAA earlier said that all amounts to be remitted by the airlines will be kept in a special escrow account, and applications for refund by passengers can be done either personally or through their representative.
Passengers with unused tickets and whose departure dates fall within the period when their airlines remitted the unused terminal fees may claim their refund at the MIAA Collection Office located on the ground floor of the MIAA Administration Building along MIA Road, Pasay City. Business hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays to Fridays.
To facilitate the refund process, passenger claimants are advised to bring the original copy of their ticket showing the record locator number and a valid government-issued ID bearing their signature.
Proxy refund is also allowed when the following requirements are presented: an authorization from the passenger, the original copy of the passenger’s ticket showing the record locator number, original government-issued ID of the passenger, and original government-issued ID of the representative.
“We appreciate this gesture of our airline partners. I can say that this is the essence of a consultative and participative working relationship. No issue cannot be resolved if everyone is engaged and sincerely dealing with each other,” Monreal said.
MIAA and 40 airlines operating at NAIA on March 15, 2017 signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) integrating the international passenger service charge (IPSC) or terminal fee into the passenger’s airline ticket, except for those exempted.
Under the agreement, the air carriers will collect the IPSC on behalf of NAIA when a departing passenger buys a ticket.
For collecting, handling, and remitting the IPSC receipts, air carriers will get a 3.5% service fee based on passenger load, again excluding internationally recognized exempted passengers. Upon request of the carrier, the rate of the service fee will be scheduled for review.
During the first year of implementation, or until April 29, 2018, MIAA will continue to provide refund counters at the terminals, after which all refunds will be handed out at the MIAA Administrative Building in the NAIA Complex in Pasay City.
The MOA followed developments in 2012 when MIAA integrated the terminal fee for domestic operations, and in 2015 when the terminal fee for international operations was integrated.
