Cargo volume handled at the country’s main gateway, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), grew 2.1% for the first four months of the year.
The combined international and domestic freight throughput at NAIA totaled 144,782.81 metric tons, 2,973.19 metric tons higher than the 141,809.62 metric tons carried in the same period last year, data from the Manila International Airport Authority showed.
International cargo accounted for 71.67% or 103,765.62 metric tons, a 7.1% improvement from 96,906.1 metric tons posted in January-April 2013.
Domestic cargoes, which made up 28.33% of the total, were down 8.65% to 41,017.19 metric tons from 44,903.52 metric tons.
Recently, the Department of Transportation and Communications mulled the construction of a second runway parallel at NAIA to increase the number of landings and take-offs at the congested gateway.
On another note, Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the agency would look into the proposal of San Miguel Corp. to put up a new airport that would cost US$10 billion.––Roumina M. Pablo
Image courtesy of renjith krishnan/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
