Manila: Seven carriers have so far integrated their systems into the automated passenger processing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the airport operator announced on Thursday. The phased digital rollout enables passengers to check in, print boarding passes, tag their bags, clear initial security, and board flights through automated lanes, reducing queuing times and congestion at traditional counters.
According to Philippines News Agency, a phased activation of the automated bag drop feature is also ongoing, the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) said. The NNIC added that the automated processing has been available for the following airlines and passenger categories:
In Terminal 1, Philippine Airlines offers automated processing for international destinations, excluding Middle East and Japan routes, while Asiana Airlines extends the service to Korean nationals and foreign passengers with no visa requirements. Terminal 2 hosts Philippine Airlines for all domestic destinations, alongside Cebu Pacific and AirAsia, both of which offer the system for all domestic destinations.
Terminal 3 sees Cebu Pacific providing automated processing for all domestic and international destinations, with AirAsia extending this to all international destinations. United Airlines offers the service to foreign passengers with no visa requirements, while Qatar Airways and Air Canada provide it to all passengers.
The automated processing systems form part of NAIA's broader efforts to improve passenger flow and align airport operations with biometric-enabled standards used at major international hubs across Asia, Middle East, and North America. 'These systems are already operational, and we are seeing more airlines come on board as integration is completed,' the San Miguel Corp.-led consortium said.
Passengers on eligible flights are encouraged to use the self-check-in kiosks located near the check-in areas of each terminal. More airlines and routes will be included in the coming months as integration work continues, the NNIC said.
