Be at the airport three hours before flight, passengers told

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) reminded outbound international passengers to be at the airport three hours before their flight schedule to avoid being left behind.

Immigration Commissioner Tansingco issued the reminder in response to a viral complaint of a passenger who alleged that he failed to catch his flight because of the conduct of secondary inspection.

“Upon verification, it was confirmed that he checked in only 1 hour and 27 minutes prior to the boarding of his flight,” Tansingco said. “He was able to present himself for primary inspection only 12 minutes prior to boarding time,” he added.

The official said that an early check is necessary because of the conduct of secondary inspection and overcrowding of passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3.

Secondary inspection is a standard security protocol conducted for passengers who may have exhibited cautionary indicators, as part of the BI’s role under the Department of Justice – Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking or IACAT.

“Our officers are trained to conduct inspections with efficiency and respect for passengers’ time, while also ensuring the utmost attention to security protocols,” Tansingco said.

Latest BI data showed that NAIA Terminal 1 reported a remarkable increase in daily average international travelers since June 16, 2023. The terminal recorded 28,956 passengers per day, a significant 48.1% rise from the previous average of 19,553 passengers prior to the transfer.

NAIA Terminal 3 also had a surge in international passenger traffic. From a daily average of 33,682 travelers since June 16, 2023, the number went up to 28,168 passengers, or an increase of 19.58%.

— William B. Depasupil

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