20 airlines eye Naia slots

About 20 international airlines are eyeing to set up operations at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) but the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is still studying which ones will be given slots.

Former MIAA General Manager Bryan Co told the Inquirer they were prioritizing airlines providing nonstop flights to destinations with no direct routes yet.

“We allocate slots very wisely,” he said.

One of the applicants is Air India, flag carrier of India. “We’re still looking forward if it will materialize. That’s a new route that we would want to develop as well,” Co said.

He said they would want to provide direct flights to popular destinations like Delhi and Mumbai.

Other applicants include Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air, Co noted.

Currently, Naia accommodates 41 aircraft movements per hour. It now hosts 48 air carriers linking the country to 57 international destinations.

Last month, the international gateway welcomed Hong Kong-based carrier Greater Bay Airlines and Malaysian airline Batik Air.

Greater Bay offers Hong Kong-Manila routes five days a week while Batik serves daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Manila. INQ