The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is confident to meet the target of 45 million passengers by yearend at the country’s premier airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
This is driven by the consistent rise in passenger and flight movements in the domestic and international services.
In a statement, Bryan Co, MIAA officer-in-charge, said the projected 45 million passengers and 275,000 flights by yearend approximate 94 percent of the passenger volume in 2019 and are 1 percent above 2019’s total flight movement.
“Our confidence is fueled by the impressive 11-month totals, in which we have already accommodated 41,213,734 passengers and 254,174 flights at NAIA, and the anticipated passenger surge during the festive season in December,” Co said.
In November, MIAA reported a passenger count of 3.8 million, including 2.02 million domestic and 1.79 million international travelers.
That is 23 percent higher than in the same period last year and mirrors 97 percent of the passenger count in November 2019, the last full year unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Simultaneously, NAIA saw a strong increase in flight movement last month, exceeding the records of both 2022 and 2019.
The 24,120 commercial, cargo and utility flights — 14,520 domestic and 9,600 international — manifest a 13 percent increment from November 2022 and a 7 percent growth from November 2019.
NAIA’s upward trajectory is further bolstered by a notable improvement in the on-time performance (OTP) of commercial flights, MIAA said.
NAIA reported an average OTP of 81 percent in November, following 82 percent in October and 80 percent in September.
This momentum has been regained after a dip to 60 percent in early June because of operational disruptions due to weather and global supply chain issues affecting the fleet of major airlines.
Co noted the OTP ratings of the top three local carriers, with Philippine Airlines (PAL), including PAL Express, recording an average OTP of 84 percent in November, followed by Cebu Pacific Air and its unit Cebgo at 83 percent, and AirAsia Philippines at 77 percent.
“The exceptional OTP of our major local airlines, accounting for 81 percent of all flights at NAIA, is truly commendable. This impressive performance demonstrates their dedication to operational excellence and significantly enhances our airport system’s overall efficiency,” Co said.
In terms of foreign airlines’ OTP ranking, Ethiopian Airlines topped the list with a perfect score of 100 percent on 34 flights, followed closely by ZIPAIR with 98 percent on 60 flights.
Other airlines within the top 10 include All Nippon Airways, Jeju Air, Air China, Kuwait Airways, Saudia, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and United Airlines.
