Mactan-Cebu Airport Soars High with 181% Passenger Growth in First Half of 2023

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport has posted a positive jump in the number of passengers for the first half of 2023 at 925,344.

These numbers from January to June are 181 percent higher than the same period in 2022–which is just about 510,822 passengers served.

MCIAA attributed the growth to the reopening of more flights to Cebu especially the return of international routes. In June 2023, two new international flights were opened for Taipei in Taiwan and Incheon in South Korea.

Of the latest figures, domestic passengers account for over 702,000, or a jump of 149 percent compared to 2022.

Total international passengers are pegged at more than 233,000 from January to June this year which is 546 percent higher than 2022.

“There is no way but up for the aviation industry as we are finally seeing the full recovery of air travel,” the airport administration said in a statement.

The Cebu airport, the country’s biggest gateway next to the Ninoy Aquino International Airpot, currently hosts 17 foreign airlines and 4 local carriers.

It also serves 27 domestic destinations and 11 international routes as of June 2023.

In July, the MCIA was also given the Airport Customer Experience Accreditation from the Airports Council International (ACI), the first Philippine airport to receive such status.

“ACI’s World Airport Customer Experience Accreditation” program builds the airport’s long-term capacity to enhance customer experience management.

“For the past years, we’ve done numerous initiatives to give the best journey possible to our passengers, from seamless check-in processes and efficient security procedures to an array of dining and retail options,” the airport management adds.