THE Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) yesterday conducted a public hearing on the plan to increase fees for aircraft parking and aircraft tacking, which will take effect on Nov. 1, 2016.
The public hearing was attended by at least 16 people, mostly officials of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) and various airline companies.
Except for clarifications asked by some airline representatives, none of the participants opposed to the increase.
MCIAA general manager Nigel Paul Villarete said that the fees’ increase are for GMCAC, which acquired the contract to manage the airport terminal for 25 years that started last Nov. 1, 2014.
The MCIAA granted GMCAC the exclusive right and authority for a period of 25 years to operate, maintain, develop, design, construct, upgrade, modernize, finance and manage the airport.
Villarete said that the increase, which will be implemented every Nov. 1, will last for 25 years. This increase is embedded in the concession agreement (CA) between MCIAA and GMCAC.
In yesterday’s hearing, Villarete said this year’s increase, which is based on the Consumers’ Price Index, is very minimal.
He cited as example the parking fee for the first half hour in domestic operations, which will be increased from P25.20 to P25.54, or 34 centavos for aircraft with category of up to 50,000 kilos.
Villarete said believes that the airline companies will not pass the increase of fees to the passengers.
The other increase in the domestic aircraft are P208.17 to P210.97 for the first half hour on aircraft weighing 50,0001 to 100,000 kilos.
In the international operations, the increase for the aircraft with a category of up to 50,000 kilos is from US$1.71 to US$1.73 for the first half hour.
For aircraft weighing 50,0001 to 100,000, the increase is from US$17,03 to US$17.26.
For the per hour tacking fee, which is on the use of the bridge or passenger tube from that aircraft to the terminal, the increase is from US$33.26 to US$33.71.
Villarete said that yesterday’s public hearing is mandated by law.