MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Tuesday, August 11, qualified one of the 3 companies that applied as premium bus operators servicing the 4 terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Logistics firm Airfreight 2100 Incorporated (Air21) will be the Philippines’ first premium airport bus service operator, after two of its competitors failed to qualify for the project.
Bidders Jam Liner Incorporated and Froelich Tours Incorporated failed to qualify because they did not meet the land transport regulator’s financial requirements.
After opening and evaluating the qualification documents of the 3 applicants, the LTFRB found Air21 to be the sole company to meet its financial requirements as specified in its Department Order 2015-011 on the Opening of Airport Bus Service.
Air21 will spend P420 million ($9.13 million) to operate more than 40 modern airport buses.
“We strictly followed an open and transparent pre-qualification process to select the most qualified bidder to provide an alternate and convenient transport mode for airline and airport passengers and employees in our 3 key terminals,” LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said.
LTFRB has asked Air21 to apply for acertificate of public convenience (CPC) to formalize its qualification.
A total of 44 airport bus units, each with a 24-passenger seating capacity, will operate from 4 am to 12 pm, and only pick up passengers on designated off-street stops, LTFRB said.
This means Air21 will soon offer premium airport services in two bus routes – the 24-kilometer NAIA-Roxas Boulevard area, including Mall of Asia and Entertainment City, and the 18-kilometer NAIA-Makati Central Business District route.
Suggested fare for the two routes is P300 ($6.66).
These modern buses, according to LTFRB, are similar to the airport buses in Hong Kong and Singapore and will be equipped with on-board CCTV, WiFi, on-board automated bus arrival electronic display, and announcement system. (READ: Remember the Love Bus? Might be time to have it back)
Air21 will be required to put up authorized booking offices in airport terminals to ensure customer convenience and ease in purchasing tickets. – Rappler.com
$1 = P45.97
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