NAIA No Longer Worst Airport, Four Others Among Best In Asia Under President Duterte
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is no longer
included in the top 20 worst airports in the world and the top five worst
airports in Asia in 2017.
In October 2016, NAIA was named fifth worst airports in Asia
in a survey conducted by “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports” travel website.
The latest survey released by the website on Sunday, October
15, however, no longer listed the Philippine airport.
The 2017 surveys named Juba International Airport of South
Sudan and Tashkent International Airport of Uzbekistan as the worst airports in
the world and in Asia, respectively.
NAIA landed on the worst airports list in 2016 under the Aquino
administration, as travelers, including overseas Filipino workers complained
about the “laglag bala” or bullet planting scheme.
The Manila airport also earned the world’s worst airport
title from 2011 to 2013.
It ranked fourth place in 2014 and was not included the top
10 worst airports in the world in 2015, but was named the eighth worst airport
in Asia during the same year.
While NAIA is out of the worst airports list, four
provincial airports of the Philippines were listed as among the top 25 best
airports in Asia for 2017 under the Duterte administration.
Joining the list are Iloilo International Airport,
Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Clark International Airport and Davao
International Airport.
Transport chief Arthur Tugade welcomed the travel website’s
feedback and vowed to continuously improve NAIA, citing that his agency must
“not be complacent.”
“Work, work, work lang. While it is good that we are not
listed among the worst, let us work even harder to be included amongst the
best,” Secretary Tugade said.
“We should be careful that we do not backslide. The show
must go on – and better!” he added.
Despite the airport being out of the list, Manila
International Airports Authority General Manager Ed Monreal still considers
improving NAIA as a challenge.
“The bigger challenge is to maintain or even surpass our
achievement,” Monreal said.
The DOTr cited the following reforms made during the Duterte
administration:
Restriction on general
aviation to prioritize commercial flights and reduce flight delays;
Imposition of the
five-minute rule [where pilots who declare they are ready to take off must
depart within the prescribed time or they would be put back at the back of the
queue] to reduce flight delays and instill discipline among airlines;
Construction of Rapid
Exit Taxiways to allow an aircraft to leave the runway at higher speed and
increase flight movements; and
Provision of cleaner
toilets, additional seats, free Wi-Fi, and Well-Wishers’ Area.
The transport department also added that it “allowed regular
taxis to queue and pick-up passengers at the designated points in NAIA
terminals to address shortage of taxi units servicing passengers.”
Watch the video report below via UNTV:
Source: Philippine Star
NAIA No Longer Worst Airport, Four Others Among Best In Asia Under President Duterte
Reviewed by Yen
on
October 19, 2017
Rating:
Post a Comment