2.55M NAIA passengers expected

NEW NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the operator of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), is expecting to accommodate around 2.55 million passengers this holiday season as the airport runs beyond its designed capacity.

NNIC said in a statement on Monday that passenger traffic from Dec. 20 to Jan. 4 is projected to increase by 5% compared to last year.

On Dec. 20 alone, NAIA recorded 171,306 travelers — the highest volume so far for a single day. Terminal 3 accounted for over 90,000 passengers, or more than half of the total volume.

Flight activity also hit a peak on that day, with NNIC reporting a total of 950 aircraft movements, referring to all takeoffs and landings.

The airport operator said that the strong holiday traffic comes as NAIA “continues to operate beyond its original design capacity.”

NNIC said that the operational and facility upgrades it made since it took over airport operations over a year ago “helped improve passenger flow and system efficiency during peak periods.”

These include the rollout of new biometric immigration e-gates and passenger processing systems, as well as the opening of additional passenger spaces at Terminal 3, including new food halls and waiting areas.

Despite strong passenger volume, the operator said airport operations remained stable, supported by coordinated airside management involving gate allocation, airside control, and ramp operations.

NNIC said that close coordination among government agencies and private sector stakeholders operating at the airport was critical in managing the surge, particularly in areas such as air traffic flow, immigration processing, ground handling, and terminal operations. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera