BIZ BUZZ: Litmus test: New Naia’s first ‘Undas’
New Naia Infra Corp. (NNIC) reckons it has passed its “first major test”: Undas operations. The San Miguel-led group—which took over Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in September—accommodated 932,405 passengers and 5,627 flights on Oct. 29 to Nov. 4, that long “Undas” (All Saints’ Day) weekend.
These are the highest volumes in the last four years. NNIC said it had achieved an 87.99-percent on-time performance (OTP) for arriving flights, higher than the 80-percent industry standard. However, the departure OTP was below standard at 75.46 percent as the baggage handling system recently malfunctioned.
“The operator has been meeting with them to discuss solutions, which include airlines and their ground handlers investing in additional baggage handling equipment, such as lower deck loaders, and increasing manpower to ensure sufficient staffing levels,”
NNIC assured. NNIC has started the rehabilitation of Terminal 4, the oldest among Naia’s hubs. The renovation and safety upgrades are targeted to be finished by February next year.
