One Year After Privatization, NAIA Terminals Remain Bottom-Tier Despite Fee Hikes

In this photo, we see the disorganized international arrival lobby at NAIA Terminal 3. Passengers have expressed their frustration not only with the unfriendly guards but also with the lack of sufficient seating. Outside the terminal, various transportation booking kiosks charge higher rates compared to metered taxis.

One Year After Privatization, NAIA Terminals Remain Bottom-Tier Despite Fee Hikes

By Bing Jabadan – TheNationWeek.Com | November 13, 2025

MANILA, Philippines – A year after the San Miguel Corp.-led New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC) assumed control of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the promised world-class transformation remains elusive, with terminals still plagued by issues and ranking among the worst globally, despite significantly increased fees.

The Sept. 14, 2024, handover from the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) aimed to resolve decades-long problems, including congestion, poor amenities, and inadequate infrastructure.

The privatization was touted as the solution to rehabilitate and modernize the struggling airport, which has consistently ranked poorly due to air traffic delays and overall passenger experience.

However, a recent TheNationWeek.Com visit to NAIA Terminal 3 revealed minimal improvements beyond superficial cosmetic changes.

Frequent complaints from passengers include broken sinks and numerous malfunctioning restrooms at NAIA Terminal 3, leading many to label it as a “worst-class” airport.

The terminal appeared even more dilapidated, with insufficient seating in the arrival area, unsanitary restrooms, and overpriced food options.

“Aside from the exorbitant fees imposed on travelers, we don’t see any improvement,” one frustrated traveler said.

Due to broken and non-functional drinking fountains, both airport employees and travelers are forced to purchase bottled water at exorbitant tourist prices.

An employee, who asked not to be identified, told TheNationWeek.Com that the new mezzanine-level food court is financially inaccessible for many airport staff, leaving Popeyes and Wendy’s on the ground floor as the only affordable options following the closure of fast-food chains on the fourth floor.

During the turnover, NNIC Chairman Ramon Ang emphasized that a world-class NAIA would stimulate economic growth, create jobs, attract tourists, and boost national prosperity.

NNIC General Manager Angelito Alvarez pledged to transform NAIA into a global standard, and Transportation Undersecretary Roberto Cecilio Lim cited NNIC’s financial strength and expertise.

The modernization plan promised to increase passenger capacity from 35 million to 62 million annually, raise air traffic movements from 40 to 48 per hour, and generate 58,000 jobs.

The project also included expanding parking bays, installing advanced systems, improving retail options, and enhancing land transport connectivity.

MIAA General Manager Eric Ines assured a smooth transition, with affected employees being relocated or absorbed by NNIC.

He declared that ongoing projects would be completed by MIAA, and the agency would oversee NNIC’s compliance with the contract.

Despite these assurances, the reality on the ground paints a starkly different picture.

The airport’s continued struggles raise serious questions about the effectiveness of the privatization and NNIC’s ability to deliver on its promises.

Compounding the issue, a recent fee hike, implemented on Sept. 14 after nearly two decades without adjustment, has sparked widespread criticism.

Travelers are questioning the value proposition as NAIA struggles to compete with regional counterparts in passenger experience and overall quality.

International terminal fees have jumped from P550 to P950, while domestic passengers face an increase from P200 to P390.

While overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are exempt from the international fee, the timing of the increase, coupled with NAIA’s persistent shortcomings, has amplified public frustration.

The MIAA defends the increases, citing the need to fund crucial modernization efforts under a public-private partnership managed by the North Luzon Airport Consortium, which includes San Miguel Corp. and South Korea’s Incheon International Airport.

The NNIC argues that even with the new rates, NAIA’s fees remain competitive within Asia, pointing to higher charges in airports like Haneda (Japan), Bangkok (Thailand), Hanoi (Vietnam), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), and Changi (Singapore), where terminal fees range from P1,136 to P2,683.

The consortium also emphasizes its commitment to invest over P170 billion in the airport’s rehabilitation and modernization, with P48.3 billion already remitted to the government as of Aug. 15, and planned capital expenditures for the year at P13 billion.

However, travelers argue that NAIA’s current facilities and services are not comparable to the airports cited by NNIC.

This sentiment is further reinforced by Skytrax rankings, which assess airports based on passenger experience and operational efficiency.

The “Most Enhanced Airports” list, celebrating facilities with significant transformations, notably excludes NAIA, highlighting the disconnect between investment and tangible improvements.