Senator Raffy Tulfo on Tuesday filed a resolution seeking to investigate the hounding problems in the country’s airports. 

In filing Senate Resolution 1069, Tulfo lamented the unending complaints from airport passengers in the country, including long queues and persistent malfunctions of electronic gates (e-gates) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which he blamed as the primary reason why some travelers miss their flights. 

Tulfo said that most e-gate scanners for arriving passengers often fail to read passports and boarding passes, leading passengers to be forced to queue for manual processing instead. 

He said such a situation doubles the time spent at the counters by passengers. 

“Due to these delays, some passengers are unable to catch their connecting flight,” Tulfo pointed out. 

“Commotion also builds up at the airport since passengers who are weary from their overseas journey start to get mad or argue with others in the queue,” he added. 

Tulfo noted that the departing passengers are experiencing the same situation when they were not able to board their international flights due to prolonged immigration screenings. 

He also identified the number of non-operational escalators, walkalators, carousels, and tubes as an added burden to passengers. 

“Passengers are the ones carrying the burden of the inconvenience, as they had to spend extra money to re-book their tickets and stay extra hours at the airport lobby, even when they are not the ones at fault,” he further lamented. 

Tulfo suggested that airport authorities should post signages at the Arrival and Departure areas of the airport terminals—informing passengers of their rights in cases of missed flights due to immigration lines and other boarding problems.

Additionally, Tulfo stressed that the Department of Transportation should set up an airport information booth manned by their personnel to guide all passengers needing assistance with their flights and travel concerns.