NAIA among 2018’s ‘most improved’ airports in the world

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was ranked among the world's "most improved" airports this year, results of a global survey by research firm Skytrax revealed.

According to results of the 2018 World Airport Awards of Skytrax, the NAIA — the country's main gateway — was ranked 10th among "The World's Most Improved Airports."

This year, the most improved airport was Rome Fiumicino, followed by Perth, Calgary, Taiwan Taoyuan, Athens, Nadi, Montréal, Moscow Sheremetyevo, and Houston Intercontinental.

Singapore Changi Airport was also named the "World's Best Airport" for the sixth consecutive year.

This year's results were gathered from 13.73 million questionnaires distributed to over 100 nationalities of airline customers from August 2017 to February 2018.

The survey covered key performance indicators of over 550 airports — check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, and immigration through to departure at the gate.

In response, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Ed Monreal said the recent development was a challenge for them to continue improving the NAIA.

"We are only as good as our last accomplishment. The bigger challenge now is how to sustain it," he said in a separate statement.

Just last month, a consortium of seven of the biggest companies in the Philippines submitted an unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate the NAIA with a price tag of P350 billion.

The consortium counts as members Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., Alliance Global Group Inc., Ayala Corporation, Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings Inc., LT Group Inc., and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.

Another unsolicited proposal was submitted by Megawide Construction Corp. and its consortium partner Bangalore-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd. to rehabilitate NAIA at a price of $3 billion. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/KG, GMA News