International Passengers Are Advised to Arrive Three Hours Prior to Flights to Avoid Delays, Says BI

Photo: Ulysses Nemeno

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is emphasizing the significance of being at the airport at least three hours before the scheduled departure time in response to a recent viral complaint from an unhappy passenger who claimed to have missed their flight due to a secondary inspection. The reminder was given by Immigration Commissioner Tansingco to help stop such occurrences and guarantee a more comfortable journey for travelers leaving the country.

The passenger in question had checked in just 1 hour and 27 minutes prior to the start of boarding, and he had shown up for primary inspection just 12 minutes before the flight was scheduled to take off, according to an investigation. Because of this last-minute decision, the required secondary inspection, and the present passenger overcrowding at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3, the passenger was unable to board the flight.

Early check-ins are essential, according to the BI, especially with the growing number of international tourists using NAIA Terminal 1. Since June 16, 2023, the terminal has seen a stunning 48.1% increase in the daily average number of foreign passengers, from 19,553 to 28,956.

Similar to this, foreign passenger traffic at NAIA Terminal 3 has significantly increased. Since June 16, 2023, the terminal has averaged 33,682 people per day. Today, that number has increased to 28,168, a significant 19.58% rise.

The BI affirms its dedication to carrying out secondary inspections with the utmost care and respect for passengers' time in order to prevent potential delays and create a more effective and secure travel process. The BI's security routine includes secondary inspections, particularly when it comes to cautionary indicators and the organization's function within the Department of Justice's Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, or IACAT.

The public is reassured by Commissioner Tansingco that their officers are trained to strike a balance between extended security checks and quick passenger processing. The BI is still committed to preserving security precautions while respecting travelers' schedules and working to make all outgoing international passengers' travels as easy as possible.

✎_____________________

Source: Be at the airport three hours before flight, passengers told (msn.com)