Manila — The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has recorded more than 620,000 passengers traveling through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) ahead of the "Undas" break.
According to Philippines News Agency, from October 26 to 30, the international passenger count stood at 295,841 while domestic travelers numbered 324,282.
The increase in passenger traffic is aligned with the time of year when Filipinos traditionally travel to the provinces for All Souls' and All Saints' Days on November 1 and 2. The travel also coincides with the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections. Earlier, Bryan Co, MIAA officer-in-charge, stated they are expecting an average of 120,000 to 130,000 passengers daily between October 27 and November 5, totaling around 1.2 million passengers for that period.
Co mentioned that the MIAA has been coordinating with private stakeholders and government entities to ensure adequate personnel, equipment, and process enhancements are in place. He added that the authority is not expecting a "significant surge" in daily passenger numbers at NAIA. Increases of "eight to 10 percent at most" are expected, which Co described as "very tolerable limits."
Additionally, MIAA's data indicated an average on-time performance (OTP) of 81.77 percent from October 26 to 30. The highest OTP was recorded at 87 percent on October 26, and the lowest was at 78.91 percent on October 30. OTP is calculated based on the number of departures and arrivals that occur within 15 minutes of their scheduled times, including cancellations.
In related news, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reported that operations remain normal across 42 airports. The CAAP is also coordinating with local authorities and other government agencies to ensure efficient processing of passengers, particularly at check-in counters.