The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) passenger volume for the first three quarters of 2023 has already exceeded the total number of domestic and international passengers that used the country’s main gateway in 2022.
From January through September of this year, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) recorded 33,757,646 domestic and international travelers, a 9% increase over the 30,943,105 passengers registered during the same period in 2022. This statistic represents a remarkable 59% increase in passenger volume for the same period in 2022 and is equivalent to 95% of the performance for the first three quarters of 2019, the final full year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With this consistent growth, MIAA remains on track to achieve our 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,” MIAA Officer-in-Charge Bryan Co remarked.
The number of domestic and international flights at NAIA from January to September 2023 was 206,050, up 31% from the same period in 2022 and 2% greater than the first three quarters of 2019.
The NAIA’s flight on-time performance (OTP) has greatly increased along with this ongoing upward trend. The MIAA average OTP for September 2023 was 80%, matching the highest average OTP rate for this year, which was recorded in March. According to widely recognized international standards, flights are considered on-time if they depart and land at NAIA within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.
In comparison to the OTP’s low of 60% in early June, this figure shows a significant improvement. Challenges including the temporary suspension of all flight and ground operations at NAIA during a Red Lightning Alert, as well as problems with aircraft maintenance and spare parts that affected major airline operations, were cited as reasons for this reduction.
“MIAA remains committed to ensuring the safety, efficiency, and satisfaction of our travelers and stakeholders, and we will continue to work collaboratively with airlines and industry partners to sustain this positive trajectory in the months ahead,” Co said.
The improvement in OTP can be attributed to a number of factors, including MIAA’s strategic use of technology to mitigate operational disruptions, such as Red Lightning Alerts, and close collaboration with airlines and other stakeholders to address industry challenges.
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