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Air cargo handled at Ninoy Aquino International Airport dropped 1.2% to 323,074.73 metric tons in the first seven months of the year, dragged by lower international cargo
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International cargo declined 13.7% to 191,989.38 mt while domestic cargo grew 25.4% to 131,085.35 mt
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Flights at NAIA during the first seven months of the year grew slightly by 0.6% to 172,238
Air cargo handled at the country’s main gateway, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), dropped 1.2% in the first seven months of the year, dragged by lower international cargo, according to data from regulator Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).
Cargoes handled at NAIA from January to July 2025 totaled 323,074.73 metric tons (mt), down from 327,026.69 mt in the same period last year, based on data available on MIAA’s website.
International cargo declined 13.7% to 191,989.38 mt from 222,521.42 mt last year, mainly from the drop in cargo volumes from April to July, especially for outgoing cargoes.
Domestic cargo, on the other hand, grew 25.4% to 131,085.35 mt from 104,505.27 mt.
READ: NAIA posts 15.6% hike in Q1 cargo traffic
Flights at NAIA during the first seven months of the year grew slightly by 0.6% to 172,238 from 171,185 flights in the same period last year. Domestic flights, which accounted for the bigger share of the total, increased 0.14% to 104,254 from 104,111. International flights likewise rose 1.4% to 67,984 from 67,074.
More passengers also traveled through NAIA from January-July 2025, hitting 31.024 million or 5% higher than the 29.540 million recorded in the same period the previous year.
International passengers climbed 5.6% to 14.489 million while domestic passengers were up 4.5% to 16.534 million.
NAIA private concessionaire New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) earlier said more carriers have been including or expanding their flights at the airport.
Philippine Airlines’ new direct service between Manila and Da Nang in central Vietnam was launched on July 1 while earlier this year, carriers like Air France, Air Canada, and Vietjet Airlines began operating new routes to and from NAIA.
More routes are expected soon with Air India preparing for its maiden direct flight from New Delhi in October, while United Airlines is adding a second daily service to San Francisco around the same time.
NAIA has also begun servicing new regional routes, including flights to Chiang Mai in Thailand as more airlines respond to rising demand from travelers.
For this year, NNIC earlier said improvements in NAIA will focus on infrastructure and streamlining operations to keep up with rising passenger demand. The goal is to transform NAIA into a modern, efficient airport that can support the country’s goals for tourism and economic growth.
READ: NAIA unveils automated parking system
Once the NAIA transformation is complete as part of the 15-year contract won by NNIC last year, the airport’s capacity will increase from 35 million passengers to 62 million passengers and an uptick in air traffic movement from 40 movements per hour to 48. – Roumina Pablo
