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Mactan-Cebu Airport cargo volume rises 8.7% in Q1
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International cargo increased 27% while domestic cargo volume dropped 4.3%
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Flights and passenger traffic improved 101.7% and 217%, respectively
Mactan-Cebu International Airport’s (MCIA) cargo volume rose 8.7% in the first quarter of 2022 from a year ago, data from Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) showed.
For the first three months of the year, MCIA recorded 14.174 million kilograms (kg) of cargo, up from 13.034 million kg year-on-year.
Of the total, the airport handled slightly more domestic cargo (51%) than international cargo.
Domestic cargo throughput dropped 4.3% to 7.287 million kg from 7.613 million kg while international cargo increased 27% to 6.888 million kg from 5.421 million kg.
Cargo handled by one of the country’s busiest gateways declined sharply in April and May 2020 after community quarantines were imposed nationwide starting mid-March that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Volumes began to pick up by June last year when quarantines were eased and more flights allowed.
While flights to MCIA surged 101.7% from 3,543 in the first quarter of 2021 to 7,146 in the same quarter this year, the latest figure is still way below pre-pandemic levels’. In the first quarter of 2019, MCIA registered 26,335 flights.
Domestic flights, which accounted for 85% of the total flights, soared 102% to 6,059 from 3,006 last year. International flights likewise increased 102% to 1,087 from just 537 last year.
Passenger traffic, while still below pre-pandemic levels, improved in the first quarter of 2022 by 217% year-on-year to 656,130 passengers from 207,045 passengers.
Domestic passenger traffic jumped 215% to 595,037 passengers from 188,686 passengers. International passengers also climbed 233% to 61,093 passengers from 18,359 passengers.
A second runway for the airport is being constructed and is eyed for partial operability in the second quarter of 2022.
In May last year, the airport’s new taxiway and apron, which increased its aircraft parking capacity from 40 slots to 50 and maximized aircraft movement capacity, was also inaugurated.
