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Two of the country’s main gateways—Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Mactan- Cebu International Airport — handled higher cargo volumes in the first half of 2024
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NAIA recorded 275,492.68 metric tons (mt) from January to June 2024, up 5.7% from the 260,563.51 mt posted in the same period last year
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MCIA handled 10.6% more cargoes in the first half of 2024, posting 29.073 million kilograms (kg) from 26.282 million kg in the same period last year
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NAIA and MCIA saw an increase in flights by 11.4% and 11.2%, respectively
Two of the country’s main gateways—Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA)— handled higher cargo volumes in the first half of 2024, data from their regulators showed.
NAIA recorded 275,492.68 metric tons (mt) from January to June 2024, up 5.7% from the 260,563.51 mt posted in the same period last year, according to data from Manila International Airport Authority.
The increase was mainly due to the 11.2% increment in foreign cargoes to 187,742.68 mt, which also accounted for 68% of the total. Domestic cargoes, on the other hand, dropped 4.3% to 87,750 mt from 91,668.07 mt last year.
MCIA handled 10.6% more cargoes in the first half of 2024, posting 29.073 million kilograms (kg) from 26.282 million kg in the same period last year, data from Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority showed.
The double-digit growth was boosted by increases in both domestic and foreign cargoes.
Domestic cargoes, which accounted for 64.5% of the total, grew 1.8% to 18.745 million kg in the first half of this year from 18.418 million kg in the same period last year.
Foreign cargoes also surged 31.3% to 10.328 million kg from 7.864 million kg last year.
Both NAIA and MCIA also handled more flights in the first semester of 2024.
NAIA saw an 11.4% year-on-year increase to 146,474 flights. Domestic flights rose 8.3% to 89,124 flights while international flights were up 16.6% to 57,350 flights.
MCIA serviced 48,316 flights in the first half, 11.2% higher than the 43,465 flights in 2023. Domestic flights at the Cebu gateway climbed up 8% to 39,187 flights while international flights grew 26% to 9,129 flights.
NAIA and MCIA likewise recorded double-digit growth in passenger traffic.
For the first half of the year, NAIA handled 25.115 million passengers, surpassing the 17.522 million passengers recorded in the same period last year by 43.3%
Passenger traffic at MCIA also grew 14% to 5.539 million passengers from 4.861 million passengers last year. Anthanasios Titonis, chief executive officer of MCIA private operator Aboitiz InfraCapital GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp., earlier said passenger traffic at the Cebu gateway is expected to hit pre-pandemic levels of around 12 million this year and 20% higher than the 10.032 million passengers in 2023.
New NAIA Infra Corporation (NNIC), meanwhile, is set to takeover NAIA in September 2024. NNIC is the special purpose company formed by the winning bidder of the 15-year concession agreement for the NAIA rehabilitation project. The project aims to increase NAIA’s annual capacity to at least 62 million passengers from 35 million and enhance air traffic movement from 40 to 48 per hour. – Roumina Pablo
