Airlines to face sanctions for misuse of slots

MANILA -- Local and international airlines using the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) that would be found regularly misusing their terminal and runway slots will soon face sanctions from aviation authorities.

The guidelines on the misuse of slots are included in the Joint Memorandum Circular 2019-01 of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), which were submitted for publication on Thursday and will take effect 15 days thereafter.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), CAB chief legal officer Wyrlou Samodio said the guidelines cite the instances that may be basis for them to recall the airlines’ slots,

or have them face a fine, among other consequences.

“Examples of these instances are an airline not using its slot, if it has no plan of using its slot, or using the slot in a different schedule,” he said.

Samodio explained that doing these instances regularly may result in revocation of their slots.

“If such actions continue, we may recall their slots and give these to others. They will not be prioritized in slots allocation. CAB may also impose a fine, depending if there’s a legal basis,” Samodio continued.

The executive clarified that the failure to use a slot will be evaluated, considering there are instances when an airline could not use its slot because another carrier was delayed or have taken its slot.

There are also instances when airlines ask the authorities’ permission to take a different schedule. As long as there is permission from aviation authorities, that would be okay, he remarked.

The misuse of slots will be monitored by CAB, CAAP, MIAA and an independent slot coordinator, according to Samodio.

The independent slot coordinator, he said, is a private firm chosen by airlines. “There is an independent slot coordinator, so the airlines could not say the government is biased in allocating slots,” he commented.

“The slot coordinator would report to us their findings. If we find irregularities or misuse of slots on a regular basis, then the airlines may face sanctions,” he said.

Samodio also clarified that the revocation of slots would not be daily since the evaluation would be done on a periodic basis.

The joint circular is applicable to both local and international carriers, and CAB is also the one to impose fines to the latter, Samodio said.

In the Philippines, MIAA determines the terminal slots, while CAAP is in charge of the runway slots, he added.