CAAP airport charges will decrease from April 1 amid the increase in fuel costs
By Ashley Erika O. Jose, A reporter
The Department of Transportation (DoTr) will implement adjusted airport-related charges, including airport fees and arrival and departure fees, at airports operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) starting April 1, amid the increase in fuel prices.
“In order to help passengers and airlines, and to stabilize the aircraft, we will reduce the cost of flights as well as the cost of arrival and departure,” said acting Secretary of Transportation Giovanni Z. Lopez in a press conference on Tuesday.
The passenger service charges (PSC), or airport fee, charged to departing passengers will be reduced by P200 starting April 1 for three months, he said.
CAAP said this will lower the PSC at international airports to P700 from P900 for international flights, while reducing the domestic PSC for flights from international airports to P150-P200 from the current P350.
CAAP said the PSC will be lowered to the range of P150-P200 from the current P300 for passengers departing from first-class airports. Those departing from principal class 2 airports will see the PSC halved to P100 from the current P200, while the PSC for those traveling through public airports will be reduced to P50 from P100.
The move is aimed at reducing the rate of increase in air fares in April after the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) raised passenger fuel fines to Level 8 in the first half of April, the highest level in two years.
“This will be effective from April 1, and it will be effective for three months after our initial assessment,” said Mr. Lopez, noting that the reduction may be extended under the agency’s assessment.
The reduction in PSC will be effective for three months from April 1, regardless of whether jet fuel prices fall, he added.
“We are aware of the challenges brought by the ongoing regional tensions and their impact on passengers and the aviation industry. CAAP uses the reduction of passenger service costs and airline costs to provide immediate assistance and support, to ensure that aviation remains accessible in these difficult times,” said CAAP Director General Raul L. del Rosario in a separate press release.
According to the monitoring of the International Air Transport Association, jet fuel prices increased by 12.6% in the week to $197 per barrel as of March 20. For the year, jet fuel prices increased by 118%, data from the aviation trade association showed.
The DoTr also ordered the reduction of navigation fees, such as landing and departure fees, up to P5,000 in CAAP-operated airports.
Terminal and departure charges are fees charged for the use of facilities and services at the airport during the flight’s arrival and departure.
“Under the revised rates, flight costs, including landing and takeoff, will drop to about 50% in total, or to about P5,000 per landing,” CAAP said.
Based on the CAAP memorandum issued in April 2025, the current cost of landing and take-off is based on the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of the aircraft. For international flights, the minimum fare is $260 for an aircraft weighing 50,000 kilograms, while for domestic flights, the minimum is P54 per 500 kilograms for an aircraft weighing 50,000 kilograms.
Earlier this week, local airlines announced a reduction in flight frequencies and the temporary suspension of some services.
On Friday, the flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced the temporary suspension of its flights between Manila and select destinations in the Middle East, such as Manila-Dubai-Manila, Manila-Doha, and Doha-Manila, until April 30.
“This precautionary measure is taken in consideration of the security situation affecting parts of the Middle East and the resulting uncertainty of operations at other regional airports and airport operations,” PAL said.
On Monday, Cebu Pacific said it will restructure its network, including reducing flight frequencies and canceling selected routes due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, noting that these changes are driven by the impact of the crisis on global fuel prices.
The airline has suspended five routes – Davao-Bangkok, Iloilo-Bangkok, Iloilo-Singapore, Singapore-Iloilo, and Clark-Hanoi-Clark – until October 2026. It has also reduced weekly services on selected domestic and international routes from April to October.
The airline’s decision to reduce flight frequencies and ground some flights may be related to the lack of fuel, said Nigel Paul C. Villarete, senior adviser on public-private sector relations at technology consultancy group Libra Konsult.
“But probably the higher maintenance costs of these aircraft may be brought about by the reduced frequency. The airlines know their numbers and they know when the available passenger capacity can be carried and when the low frequency of flights,” he said.
Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said in a separate briefing Tuesday that airlines have had “a few problems” with orders due to changes in the countries they serve.
“But until now, we have met with them and they assured us that they are right. I think the issue is in the prices, the price restriction puts pressure on the operations of the companies,” he said when asked about the lack of jet fuel.
