MCIA Jan-Feb passenger traffic, flights post double-digit growth

CEBU, Philippines - The Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second busiest airport, posted double-digit growth in passenger traffic and number of flights in the first two months of 2016.

Latest data from MCIA Authority showed the Mactan airport posted a 14 percent increase in passenger volume, consisting of both local and foreign, from January to February to 1.38 million from 1.21 million in same period last year.

The airport registered 1 million incoming and outgoing domestic passengers and 381,268 international travelers during the two months.

In addition, a total of 10,946 incoming and outgoing flights, both domestic and international, were recorded in the two-month period, up 15 percent from last year's 9,496.

During the period, the Mactan airport registered a total of 8,643 incoming and outgoing domestic flights and 2,303 foreign flights.

In a previous interview, Andrew Acquaah-Harrison, chief executive advisor of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp., attributed this growth to the new domestic and international routes offered by airline companies operating at the airport.

"That is where the growth is coming from," Harrison had said.

The airport official had projected that growth in terms of aircraft and passenger traffic would remain to be robust this year, supported by the new routes.

In 2015, the airport registered 7.78 million passengers, up 13.76 percent from 6.84 million in 2014.

MCIA seeks to develop more routes and increase flight frequencies this year.

Last month, four new direct international flights from Cebu were launched: Xiamen with Xiamen Air; Dubai with Emirates; Taipei with Eva Air; and Los Angeles with Philippine Airlines.

MCIA is having a P17.5-billion upgrading project – undertaken by GMCAC – which is seen to increase its capacity to 12.5 million passengers a year.

The airport's Terminal 2, which is currently built, is scheduled to be operational by 2018. — (FREEMAN)