San Miguel-led New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC), the private operator of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), clarified that its recent increase in overnight parking fees was not driven by profit but by the need to enhance parking availability for passengers.
Speaking at the 2024 Aviation Summit in Pasay City, NNIC General Manager Angelito Alvarez explained that the hike in parking fees, which raised the overnight rate for cars from P300 to P1,200, was a strategic move to discourage overnight parking. The new rates also saw motorcycle parking rise to P480 and bus parking to P2,400.
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Alvarez described the decision as “intentional” and part of a "demarketing" strategy to limit long-term parking due to the airport’s limited space. "A vehicle parked for 24 hours could have accommodated at least eight other vehicles, given that the average parking time is around three hours," he noted.
The NNIC general manager emphasized that with limited parking slots available at NAIA, the goal is to encourage short-term parking for passengers dropping off or picking up others, rather than for extended periods.
To address parking shortages, Alvarez also announced that the NNIC is developing a new four-hectare parking facility near NAIA Terminal 3, which will add approximately 2,500 parking slots. "It could be available within two weeks," he added.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista supported the parking fee hike, reiterating that NAIA's parking spaces were intended for short-term use. Bautista also pointed out that some individuals parking overnight at the airport were not even using it for travel purposes but were headed to nearby casinos. "Our airport facilities should be prioritized for passengers," he said.
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The parking rate increase, which took effect on October 1, 2024, has sparked criticism from some quarters. House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas criticized the move, stating that the new P1,200 overnight parking charge disproportionately affects workers and travelers who depend on NAIA. Brosas also noted the lack of visible upgrades at the airport since NNIC took over management on September 14.
"Charging P1,200 for overnight parking is an outright attack on workers and travelers, many of whom rely on NAIA for their livelihoods and transit,” Brosas said in a separate statement.
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