Be at NAIA three hours, not five hours, before int'l flight —MIAA GM

Passengers taking international flights should be at the airport three hours before departure time, Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed Monreal said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, those taking domestic flights should be at the airport two-and-a-half hours before departure time, he added.

Monreal made the clarification in an interview on Unang Balita after an airline issued an advisory for passengers to be at the airport five hours before departure time.

"Hindi po nanggaling sa amin 'yung panukalang limang oras," Monreal said, adding that MIAA recommends "mga three hours sa international, two-and-a-half hours sa domestic."

Monreal said he does not advise passengers to be too early at the airport as this will cause congestion.

"I don't see the benefit right now. Hindi po naman ganun kabigat ang problema sa proseso ng ating mga umaalis papuntang ibang bansa. So I would suggest that they should come at least three hours before, huwag po 'yung limang oras," he said.

Monreal said there are more departing passengers than arriving ones these days. 

Ready for influx of passengers

Monreal said the MIAA is ready for the expected increase in the volume of passengers for the Holy Week break.

"Wala po kaming leaves sa mga tao po para next week para mabantayan po ang pagdagsa ng mga pasahero," he said.

Monreal also said they coordinated with airlines to ensure that the counters and boarding gates are well-manned.

"Kami naman po sa MIAA, merong task force na mag-iikot during the week. Pati po ang ating kapulisan, kailangan totally visible sila. At lahat ng X-ray machines...kailangan po bukas at fully manned po dahil sa utos ni Sec. (Arturo) Tugade na kailangan lahat ng paliparan ay handa," he said.

Immigration counters

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has already temporarily reassigned 170 personnel to man Immigration counters at airports.

“With the fielding of these additional immigration officers, we are confident that these long queues in our counters will be lessened so as not to inconvenience travelers who are going on vacation here and abroad for the Lenten and Easter season,” BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said Wednesday. —KG, GMA News