MIAA reports 23% passenger surge in November 2023, says data reflect pre-Covid figure

With 3,813,781 domestic and international passengers recorded in November 2023, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has reported a 23 percent surge of passengers in November this year compared to the same period in 2022.

In a statement, MIAA said the figure mirrors 97 percent of the passenger count in November 2019, the last full year unaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Based on its data, MIAA said it logged 2,019,882 domestic and 1,793,899 international travelers.

“NAIA saw a strong increase in flight movement last November, exceeding the records of both 2022 and 2019,” MIAA said in a statment.

“The 24,120 commercial, cargo, and utility flights—14,520 domestic and 9,600 international—manifest a 13% increment from November 2022 and a 7% growth from November 2019.”

MIAA Officer-in-Charge Bryan Co expressed bullishness that NAIA is well-positioned to meet its year-end projections of 45 million passengers and 275,000 flights.

“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,” he said.

According to the MIAA, NAIA’s increasing trajectory is backed further by a significant improvement in commercial airline on-time performance (OTP).

In November, it noted that NAIA recorded an average OTP of 81 percent, up from 82 percent in October and 80 percent in September. The MIAA explained that such momentum has been regained following a drop to 60 percent in early June due to operational difficulties caused by weather and global supply chain issues affecting major airlines’ fleets.

Co emphasized how the top three local carriers had outstanding OTP ratings: AirAsia Philippines at 77 percent, Cebu Pacific Air (including Cebgo) at 83 percent, and Philippine Airlines (including PAL Express) at 84 percent on average in November.

“The exceptional OTP of our major local airlines, accounting for 81% of all flights at NAIA, is truly commendable. This impressive performance not only demonstrates their dedication to operational excellence but also significantly enhances the overall efficiency of our airport system,” the MIAA official said.