Manila visitors’ passes for sending off and meeting airline passengers limited

Non-airport-related activities also suspended in four NAIA terminals

The Manila International Airport Authority on Friday February 7, said it was limiting the issuance of visitors passes for terminals for the purpose of sending off and meeting passengers, and suspending non-airport related activities in the four terminals.

Left: check-in is currently off-limits to all except passengers (Kounosu)

In an advisory, MIAA said this was to discourage the public from going to crowded places in compliance with world health experts’ advice and in support of government efforts to fight the novel coronavirus.

Manila's international terminal (Ida Writer)

MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal said in the advisory that families and friends of airline passengers should in particular not bring “highly vulnerable people to the airport, especially children, elderly, immuno-compromised individuals and those with underlying medical conditions to protect them from possible exposure.”

Monreal added that the visitors passes in particular can be issued when “a companion may be necessary such as medical patients or other related emergency cases, person with disability, unaccompanied elderly, unaccompanied minor and unaccompanied pregnant woman.”

Also exempted are those undertaking government repatriation efforts and activities in fulfilment of government international commitments.

Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Josh Lim)

Issuance of passes to VIP rooms will also be limited to airport reception of official guests of the Government and of foreign embassies, he continued.

Monreal also said those suspended specifically was the conduct of familiarisation tours, movie/advertising filming, among others. “This call is being made not to alarm the public. This is our simple way of supporting inter-agency efforts to prevent and contain the spread of the virus.”

Terminal 3 apron (Roy Kabanlit)