THERE will be no terminal fee increase.

Thus, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager ret. Gen. Jose Angel Honrado declared yesterday, as he vehemently denied reports stating  he will again increase the terminal fee of P550 to P750.

“Any increase in airport fees will be triggered only by specific needs or objectives and it will have to undergo the normal process of getting the board approval and public hearings,” Honrado said in a statement sent to the media by Connie Bungag, head of the media affairs division.

Stressing there is no such need right now, Honrado said news that he will impose the increased fee now is ridiculous, especially since the said fee has just been reverted to its original rate of P550 beginning last February 1. 

The old fee was restored as the five-year security development program for which the fees were raised to P750 ended last January 31.

The additional  P200 to the P550 terminal fee at the airport was imposed last February 1, 2007 to raise funds for the acquisition of state-of-the-art security equipment at the airport terminals and facilities.

Accordingly, the collection of the security development fee was approved by the MIAA Board for a term of five years and under the program, the said amount collected from the SDF would be allocated for the acquisition of new surveillance cameras and state-of-the-art x-ray machines for use at the country’s premier airports.

To bolster his point, Honrado explained that as mandated in the MIAA Charter and as a requirement in government regulations, any increase in fees and charges must first be approved by the MIAA Board then undergo a public hearing which is a long and tedious task.         

Meanwhile, travelers using the four airport terminals in Manila -- NAIA Terminals 1, 2, 3 and the Manila Domestic Airport -- can now enjoy free wireless-fidelity (WIFI) connectivity.

The free WIFI which Honrado and NAIA assistant general manager for emergency and security services Maj. Gen. Vicente Guerzon launched yesterday, will enable both departing and arriving passengers in all airport terminals including the domestic airport, to work online, check emails or travel itineraries, and surf the net while at the airport.

The free Internet system can accommodate 20,000 users at any given time and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  It was installed in all passenger areas of the NAIA, including the departure lobby, check-in counters, boarding gates, passenger halls, immigration areas, baggage carrousel, customs area and the arrival lobby.