MANILA -- At least three airlines have sought the Civil Aeronautics Board's (CAB) approval for higher air fares, an agency official said Tuesday.

CAB Deputy Executive Director Atty. Maria Elben Moro said they received applications for fare hikes as early as August, a month before the turnover of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)'s operations to the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC).

"In anticipation of the turnover, meron nang discussion tungkol sa pagtaas ng mga takeoff and landing fees," she told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

"Meron po kasing tinatawag na parang terminal enhancement fees under doon sa Administrative Order 1. Ito po yung pagtaas ng mga pagsingil sa tacking fee na tinatawag nila. Mga airport processes ito, for airport procedures, kagaya ng takeoff and landing fees, paghahandle sa mga pasahero," she added.

(In anticipation of the turnover, there were discussions on the increase of takeoff and landing fees. We have what we call terminal enhancement fees under Administrative Order 1. This covers the increase in tacking fees, which are fees in for airport processes like takeoff and landing fees and passenger handling fees.)

Pressed for details on how much fare increase the airlines were seeking, Moro said, "Nasa daan-daan po (in the hundreds)." 

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Moro said the CAB would decide on the fare hike petitions after meetings, hearings, and public consultations.   

She assured the public that the CAB would be fair in deciding on any airfare increase. 

"In behalf of CAB, asahan po siguro ng ating mga pasahero na pag-aaralan nating mabut ito at sisiguraduhin na hindi naman, kung saka-sakali man...kung kinakailangan talaga magpataw ay maging patas ito at magiging fair naman sa ating mga mananakay," she said.

(In behalf of CAB, I would like to say that passengers can expect us to be fair. Should there be a need to increase costs, it will be be fair to our passengers.)

"Hindi naman maging ganoon kabigat sa bulsa, na dyan pa rin na mananatili yung promo fare para patuloy pa tayong makapagbiyahe."

(It won't be so heavy on the pocket, and promo fares will stay so we can still travel.)