NAIA Terminal 3 passengers 'blocked' from taking regular taxi

MANILA, Philippines - Passengers who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 recently found themselves unable to use an exit gate where they could hail regular metered taxicabs.

In a video by Nitya Saulo taken around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, domestic flights passengers complained to security guards blocking the upper level exit gate at the airport's newest and biggest terminal.

@PhilstarNews according to the guards it has been going on for 3 days already. A "verbal" policy they call it. #terminal3

— nitya saulo (@nityalila) July 29, 2013

Raymond Domingo said that the new airport scheme seems to be designed to force passengers to hire the pricier airport cabs waiting at the open exit ways.

"Not all people can afford and not all people who took the plane is that rich enough to just close our eyes and pay the amount of the yellow taxi downstairs," Domingo said.

Regular taxicabs have a flag-down rate of P40 while airport taxis charge passengers a flag-down rate of P70.

Saulo told Philstar.com on Monday that after the passengers filed a formal complaint against the management of the terminal, the guards temporarily allowed them to pass.