Slot shortage stalls Delta’s entry in NAIA

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March 20, 2026 | 12:00am

The Delta Dilemma

MANILA, Philippines — Delta Air Lines, one of the world’s largest carriers, may find it difficult to put up direct flights to Manila by 2027 as the country’s main gateway is still short on slots for new entrants.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), regulator of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), is hesitant to give Delta an assurance it would receive slots by 2027.

MIAA general manager Eric Jose Ines said it is challenging to secure slots in NAIA because its runways are already handling flight levels beyond capacity.

Ines said the Manila Slot Coordination Committee, of which MIAA is a member of, could look at the 12 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. window for Delta. Still, Ines stopped short of guaranteeing a slot, as MIAA would have to first look at prior requests from other airlines.

“I heard about it (Delta’s plan to initiate Manila flights), but no updates yet. Slots are very tight, except between 12 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.,” Ines told The STAR.

MIAA has received multiple requests from international carriers to fly to NAIA, but Ines said the airport’s main runway 06/24 and secondary runway 13/31 are operating above capacity.

On top of this, some foreign airlines are eyeing specific slots to fit into their connecting flights to destinations with no direct line to Manila.

“You see, there are still many requests for additional international flights, but our runways, both 06/24 and 13/31, are already congested,” Ines said.

“Most of the international carriers prefer certain slots for their hub connections. And the slots are almost simultaneous with other carriers, so our runways and even parking bays are occupied,” he added.

In a filing last week, Delta had asked the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to defer the application of Philippine Airlines (PAL) for authority to mount direct flights to Chicago. The airline said PAL should only be given approval if Manila can set aside a slot for Delta.

Delta said travelers are limited to a few options when flying direct between the Philippines and the US, warning this situation would worsen if only PAL is given authority to expand its reach.

Likewise, Delta said PAL has been able to widen its coverage in the US, proof of which is the launch of direct flights to Seattle in 2024.

By June 1, PAL will also increase its non-stop frequency flights between Manila and Los Angeles to 18 times a week, from the current 14, in line with efforts to strengthen its TransPacific leadership.

Delta decried that US carriers are given a hard time securing slots in NAIA, noting that this supposed imbalance in accessibility is hurting airline competition to the detriment of travelers.

Delta aims to launch direct flights between Manila and Los Angeles by the summer of 2027. The airline is planning a daily service using its Airbus A350-900.

Based on data from Pew Research Center, Los Angeles is home to over half a million Filipinos, making it the US city with the highest Filipino population.

NAIA is undergoing a P170.6-billion upgrade led by private operator New NAIA Infrastructure Corp., a project that would raise its passenger capacity to 62 million per annum, from 35 million right now.

In 2025, the airport recorded its highest passenger volume of 52.02 million, way above its current capacity.