MCIA cargo volume up 13% in Q1 2018

CEBU, Philippines —  Cargo volume at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport posted a 13 percent  growth in the first quarter of 2018.

Cargo traffic at the country's second busiest airport reached 18.8 million kilograms from January to March this year from 16.7 million kgs in the same period last year.

Of the total, domestic cargoes accounted for about 75 percent while international cargoes made up 25 percent.

Data from MCIA Authority showed that domestic cargoes during the period reached 14.22 million kgs, up by 18% from 12.03 million kgs in the same period last year.

However, the volume of international cargoes contracted by 2 percent to 4.58 million kgs from 4.67 million kgs last year.

The handling capacity of MCIA is seen to eventually increase as operations of its Terminal 2 are set to start by July 1.

In an earlier interview with Cebu Pacific chief executive officer Lance Gokongwei, he said the Cebu airport's expansion will further increase its capacity.

He said the airport will further see robust growth in the future.

Philippines Air Asia CEO Dexter Comendador echoed this projection, saying growth will come from it being the already second busiest air hub in the country.

This will also allow airlines such as Air Asia to expand their capacity in their Cebu hubs, he said.

In the first three months, MCIA handled 2.7 million passengers, with domestic passengers representing 65 percent and international passengers at 35 percent.

Air traffic volume increased by 21 percent, with a 15 percent and 22 percent growth in international and domestic traffic respectively.

According to Centre for Aviation, MCIA has emerged as one of the fastest growing airports in Asia, recording a double-digit passenger growth in passengers annually.

In April 2014, GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp, the consortium between Megawide and Bangalore-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd., won the P17.5-billion concession to rehabilitate and manage MCIA for 25 years.

GMCAC took over operations of MCIA in November 2014. It is also undertaking renovations in Terminal 1 to improve operating efficiency.