CAAP, CAB crack down on airlines’ flight delays

The Manila International Airport Authority ( MIAA), the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) signed an agreement Wednesday to penalize airlines that misuse flight slots, causing delays.

CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the memorandum of agreement – which took effect immediately – basically requires airlines to utilize their slot or face the risk of losing it.

He added that the demand for a slot to fly from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has been increasing.

“We want to make sure that slots are available for any airline which intends to use the airport,” Arcilla said.

In 2015, a daily average of 684 flight movements was recorded at the NAIA out of the 880 available slots.

CAAP director general William Hotchkiss III said the stricter and more detailed guidelines on slot usage will also guarantee smoother airport operations.

“We are also able to address the concern of flight delay by means of this agreement as we dedicate each and every slot to registered flights. Removing those not cleared to fly allows us to follow a day’s official schedule to the second,” Hotchkiss said.

Under the agreement, airlines that misuse their slots will be subjected to sanctions such as the termination of operations, forfeiture of acquired slots, given a lower priority status for future slot requests or fined by the CAB or CAAP.

The misuse of slots includes holding slots that an airline does not intend to operate, the intentional operation of a flight at a significantly different time from its approved schedule or the operation of flights without a slot.

The agreement also covers the procedure that airlines have to observe in registering for a slot at the NAIA.

In particular, after gaining approval of a desired schedule from the Airport Coordination Australia – the NAIA’s third- party slot coordinator – airlines must gain clearance from the MIAA and the CAAP for terminal and runway clearance, respectively.

Authorizations from the three agencies are required before airlines file their application to operate with the CAB.

MIAA general manager Jose Angel Honrado said this agreement is the legacy of the three agencies to the next airport and aviation officials.

To ensure compliance from the airlines, the CAB has put in place monitoring and public assistance desks at the terminals that will respond to passenger concerns and monitor the operations of airlines.

The CAB has entered into separate agreements with the MIAA, CAAP and other local airports for the deployment of these assistance desks.