Carriers post 83% on-time performance

OTP is the adherence to published flight schedules by an airline. #airlinesOTP

Three months after member-airlines of the pledged to support the decongestion of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and improve the convenience of the air-riding public, l

Leading airlines reported marked improvement in their on-time performance (OTP) and convenience to air passengers three months after supporting the Department of Transportation’s (DoTr) call to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In a report to the DoTr), Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) members reported an average 83 percent OTP for flights at NAIA in September 2019, up seven percentage points versus the OTP rates posted in July and August 2019. The last time OTP was at this level was in September 2018 at 85 percent.

From July to September 2019, OTP reached 78 percent, higher than the OTPs of 65 percent and 62 percent, respectively in the first and second quarters of 2019. This brings OTP in NAIA at 68 percent from January to September 2019.

ACAP is composed of Philippine-based carriers Cebu Pacific, Cebgo, Philippine Airlines, PAL Express and Air Asia Philippines.

“We thank the airlines for their cooperation and for making changes in their respective operations to enhance the travel experience of airport users. While we catch-up and expedite aviation infrastructure projects, I hope we continue the solidarity and hard work to try to provide some measure of comfort and convenience to our air passengers,” said DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade.

OTP is the adherence to published flight schedules by an airline. The improvement of OTP in NAIA was attributed by ACAP to a combination of operational conditions and improvements.

Lance Gokongwei, outgoing chairman of ACAP as well as president and CEO of Cebu Pacific, attributed high OTP to the increased collaboration and cooperation from DoTr, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Manila International Airport Authority.

“We thank the government for working with the airlines to address growing demand. The use of Runway 31 for take-off has led to faster movement of aircraft, reduced aircraft taxi timesresulting in less ramp congestion. We have also seen a reduction in departure clearance time delays because of better airspace management and the full use of the new air traffic and navigation system,” added Gokongwei.

The carriers, for their part, implemented process improvements including stricter adherence to gate closure and door closure times; deployment of stand-by flight deck crews at the airport to reduce response time to unexpected situations; and adoption of new technologies to better monitor operations in real time.

Last June, ACAP-member airlines pledged to work with the government to step-up efforts to reduce flight delays, help decongest NAIA and improve the experience of air passengers. The aim is to address the growing demand for air travel in the Philippines, particularly in NAIA. As of end-September 2019, ACAP-member airlines alone mounted a total of 8,685 flights—up 5 percent year-on-year.