In the Philippines, Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport has been having a challenging time fending off birds, with far too many of them putting a dent into aircraft using the airfield. Local carrier AirAsia Philippines seems to have avoided the strikes and the associated problems to post a solid on-time performance for the first half of 2023.
A good performance in challenging conditions
Last week AirAsia Philippines announced it had maintained a positive on-time performance of 81% in the first half of the year (H1 2023). The airline said this was despite various factors that can greatly affect on-time performance, such as inclement weather and natural occurrences, primarily lightning red alerts and bird strikes.
Photo: AirAsia Phillipines
The low-cost airline cites data from the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) that shows a significant increase in bird strike occurrences. The ACAP data reports that during the January to June 2023 period, local carriers reported 107 bird strike incidents, resulting in varying levels of impact and aircraft damage, as well as schedule disruptions and delays.
AirAsia Philippines has several operating bases spread around the Philippines, with its main base at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL). The airport, operated by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), is a key hub for the airline and any disruptions, delays or cancelations at MNL can cause significant flow-on effects throughout the network.
Photo: Sudpoth Sirirattanasakul | Shuttershock
For some unexplained reason, the Manila airport is suffering more than usual from lightning strikes, with twice the number of such events than it usually receives. In the first half of 2023, the airport reported 166 lightning incidents compared to the overall 60 it received in 2022. In May and June, the numbers were significantly above average, with 71 and 84 occurrences of Lightning Yellow and Lightning Red Alerts.
Lightning alerts are increasing
A Lightning Red Alert signals that flight and ground movements are temporarily suspended, while a Yellow Alert means increased care is needed for ground operations. AirAsia Country Head for Communications and Public Affairs, Steve Dailisan, said that safety is the number one priority. He added:
“Our day-to-day operations at AirAsia focus on safety, passenger comfort, and on-time performance, in that order, to make sure that we safely and efficiently fly our guests to their destinations.
“We are not perfect but we try to do it best for our guests and their loved ones. We are also working closely with government and industry partners in mitigating controllable circumstances that are aimed at improving the efficiency of airport operations.”
From the start of this month, AirAsia Philippines has been operating from Terminal 2 at Manilla Ninoy Aquino International, leaving behind Terminal 4, the old domestic terminal, after years of operations there. Terminal 2 is the home of domestic services, with Philippine Airlines, Royal Air Philippines, and now AirAsia Philippines operating internal flights from the terminal.
Photo: AirAsia Philippines
Passengers will benefit from around 20 check-in counters, passenger lounges, food stalls and aerobridges. Along with the airport, AirAsia has embarked on a campaign to educate customers about the change. For those that missed the message, it has set up a Customer Happiness Desk at Terminals 3 and 4 to assist guests.