NAIA’s passenger volume for 1st 9 months of 2023 breaches 2022’s full-year total
MANILA, Philippines — The Manila International Airport Authority registered more than 337 million passengers in the first nine months of 2023, exceeding the total number of the domestic and international passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in 2023.
In its latest report, the MIAA recorded a total of 33,757,646 domestic and international passengers who used the country’s main gateway from January to September this year. This is 9% higher compared to the total passenger volume of 30,943,105 last year.
The passenger volume at NAIA in the first three quarters of 2023 is a 59% increase from the same period last year.
It is also equivalent to 95% of the first nine-month performance of the country in 2019, a year before the country implemented COVID-19 lockdowns.
The MIAA also reported growth in flights taking off and landing at the NAIA in the past nine months. There were 206,050 flights recorded, a 31% growth from the same period last year and 2% up in the same period in 2019.
According to MIAA, July 2023 saw the most passengers in a single month with 4,185,555, while August 2023 logged the most flights in a month at 23,969, making the third quarter’s passenger volume and flight movement the strongest this year.
MIAA Officer-in-Charge Bryan Co welcomed the consistent growth in passenger volume and flight movements, saying the agency is on track in achieving the year-end projections of 45 million passengers and 275,000 flights by the end of 2023.
“These projected flight estimates are poised to surpass the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, reflecting the resilience and recovery of the aviation industry in the Philippines,” Co said.
Aside from the surge in passenger volume and flight movements, its on-time performance also improved after holding an average of 80% OTP last month, matching the highest average OTP rate recorded in March this year.
Most of the flights depart and arrive at NAIA within 15 minutes of the scheduled time are regarded as on-time.
MIAA considers this a “major improvement” from the OTP’s low of 60% in early June. This was attributed to temporary suspension of flight and ground operations at NAIA during a Red Lightning Alert, as well as issues with aircraft maintenance and spare parts that disrupted major airline operations.
On the other hand, the MIAA attributes the improved schedule reliability to the strategic blend of software solutions and technology, combined with vigilant monitoring. The airport successfully mitigated operational disruptions caused by Red Lightning Alerts by utilizing innovative technology and real-time monitoring systems.
It also collaborated with airlines and aviation stakeholders to ensure “the timely deployment of required resources needed to support flight schedules.”
Co said the MIAA vows to ensure the safety, efficiency and satisfaction of travelers and stakeholders.
“We will continue to work collaboratively with airlines and industry partners to sustain this positive trajectory in the months ahead,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism is also optimistic about the recovery of the Philippine tourism industry after the visitor arrivals to the country exceeded four million in September.
As of September 29, the DOT recorded a total of 4,005,465 international visitors since January 1. The tourism industry has also generated P344 billion in international visitor receipts in nine months.
Under the National Tourism Development Plan 2023 to 2028, the tourism industry has a 4.8 million arrivals target this year.
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