CAAP places airports on high alert in anticipation of holiday rush

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) placed 42 commercial operating airports on high alert, in anticipation of the influx of passengers during the holiday season.

According to the CAAP, it is now coordinating with the concerned government agencies and airlines to boost their personnel given the expected surge in passenger traffic.

“Due to travel bans imposed in the last two years brought by COVID-19, the CAAP-operated airports reported that it has seen trends of pent-up demand for tourism this year,” it said in an emailed statement.

“Based on pre-pandemic historical data, an estimate of around 7-10% increase in the number of passengers is expected annually; and with the current easing of travel restrictions, CAAP is optimistically preparing for a surge in the demand for travel,” it added.

CAAP data showed that there were some 16 million passengers who traveled in CAAP airports from January to October, with more expected in the last quarter of the year.

There were 5.136 million passengers from January to December 2021, with 1.007 million recorded in December alone.

The agency also reminded travelers not to bring prohibited items to the airport and to stow all belongings in the carry-on baggage for faster processing at the screening checkpoints. — DVM, GMA Integrated News