Terminal 2 of Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) | CDN Digital File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The country’s second busiest airport has accommodated close to 5 million passengers in the first half of 2023, signaling the return of its pre-pandemic operations after three years in lockdown.
Passenger volume at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has reached approximately 4.9 million between January to June, the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), the government body co-operating the Mactan airport, posted.
The figures were a huge increase compared to those recorded in the same period in 2022.
Domestic passengers still contributed to most of the foot traffic in MCIA.
From January to June this year, over 3.7 million passengers at the Mactan airport came from domestic flights. It was 2.3 million more compared to the 1.4 million recorded in the previous year.
The airport also saw significant growth in the volume of international passengers.
MCIA air and cargo traffic
During the first half of this year, the MCIA accommodated around 1 million passengers bound to and from international destinations.
From January to June 2022, the number of international passengers who passed through the airport only reached 128,618.
Aside from passenger volume, MCIA reported increases in air and cargo traffic.
Air traffic in Mactan airport has more than doubled during the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2022.
A total of 43,456 flights went in and out of MCIA. Of this number, domestic flights still account for the majority, at 36,189.
Restarting routes
International flights also grew from 1,882 in January to June 2022 to 7,267 this year.
It was also during the first half of 2023 when local and international carriers restarted their routes at MCIA such as those bound to and from Narita (Tokyo), Shenzhen (China), and Hong Kong, among others.
From January to June 2022, the number of flights that went through Mactan airport was only 15,828.
Cargo volume in the airport also increased from 8.8 million in January to June 2022 to 12.7 million during the same period this year.
MCIA is the second busiest airport in the Philippines, next to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila.
/bmjo
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