CAAP cuts airport terminal fees as fuel prices climb

MANILA, Philippines – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has implemented lower aeronautical fees and passenger service charges at airports nationwide to ease the burden on both airlines and passengers amid rising global fuel prices.

The new rates for passenger service charges and airline aeronautical fees will take effect Wednesday, April 1.

Passenger service charges — commonly known as terminal fees — are paid by travelers to cover the cost of airport facilities and services, such as terminals, security screening, and passenger handling.

Aeronautical fees, on the other hand, are charges imposed on airlines for the use of airport infrastructure, including landing, takeoff, and aircraft parking.

Listed below is a comparative table of the old and new rates for passenger service charges.

Category	Old Rate	New Rate
International	P900	P700
Domestic	P350	P150 – ₱200
Principal Class 1	P300	P150 – ₱200
Principal Class 2	P200	P100
Community Airports	P100	P50

Airline aeronautical fees — including landing and takeoff charges — will be reduced by up to 50%, according to CAAP, or as much as P5,000 less per landing.

The move comes as regulators approved an increase in the fuel surcharge level from Level 4 to Level 8 starting April 1.

With the shift to Level 8, fuel surcharges for domestic flights may climb to between P253 and P787. This is a significant jump from the previous P117 to P342 range under Level 4.

Meanwhile, international flight surcharges will be set at P835.05 to P6,208.98, depending on distance, marking an approximate 116-percent rise from the earlier P385.70 to P2,867.82 range.

Because of the rising cost of fuel, Cebu Pacific has been forced to cancel and limit its flights.

On Tuesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national energy emergency. In his executive order, he instructed relevant government agencies to implement measures to reduce transport costs. – Rappler.com