Common Sense

Discipline Key For Air Traffic Relief

15 September 2016



Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) management has finally broke grounds in bringing relief to air traffic congestion after it ban general aviation traffic from using NAIA from 12 noon to 7:00pm, an act the previous administration deemed incapable of implementing.

MIAA General Manager Eddie Monreal disclosed that they made adjustments and evaluations and implemented the study that were long pending in their office unenforced for unknown reason.

The study centered on general aviation which was long considered by the CAAP as causing traffic bottleneck at the airport.

Monreal said a compromise was had with the previous administration allowing them 2 movements per hour, but this has now been revoked for time between 12:01pm and 7:00pm.

Slot allocations
Another unresolved problem found and solved was "unslotted" aircraft using the runway.

"Meaning, they were not in the listed slot for the day, and even if they were, they were not taking off and landing at their designated time", says Monreal.

"We restricted that" adds Monreal, saying further that airlines failure to follow their allocated slot, and "airlines without slot allocation or an approve one will not be permitted to take off or land. They will not also be provided with check-in counters at the airports terminal."

MIAA said the order issued in July 2016 was supposed to be effective in August but due to airlines request a compromise was made having it effective on September 1.

On this account, PAL announced cancellations of 29 local flights operating out of Manila  effective Sept. 1, 2016 for non slot. Those cancelled flights covered routes from Manila to Caticlan, Cebu, Calbayog, Kalibo, Laoag, Legaspi, Tablas, and Tuguegarao.

Results were immediately apparent as airlines dramatically improved its On-Time Performance at the airport to as high as 80 percent.

5 Minute Rule
Airlines were likewise directed to follow strictly flight schedules to the effect that if airline misses its schedule, it loses its place in the line. No one is allowed to crash the line.

Monreal said that airlines in the past call clearance for take-off even if their aircraft is not ready.

"We call it the five minute rule" says Montreal.

Monreal explained that should the airline be not ready for push back in five minutes it loses its place in the line and they will be penalize to cue at the back of the line.

Senator Franklin Drilon retorts if it was due to discipline to which Monreal answered in the affirmative.

Secretary Art Tugade would like to call it the "common sense" approach.

Low cost carrier Cebu Pacific was particularly cited for breaches of this regulation, according to tower sources, due to its short turnaround policy of its aircraft in the ground that their pilot already acquired bad habits of reporting "ready" for push back when in reality they are not.

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