The Philippine government aims to increase aircraft movements at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to 48 per hour from the current 41.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), responsible for managing 44 other commercial airports, recently discussed with Hong Kong officials ways to achieve this goal.
The CAAP aims to collaborate on achieving increased aircraft movements and has sent air traffic controllers to Hong Kong International Airport to learn best practices.
Prior initiatives by CAAP have been aimed at boosting airplane movements, taking into account infrastructure limitations and the goal of doubling annual passenger capacity from 32 million to 60 million.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) recorded 279,953 flight movements in 2023, with a 3 percent increase compared to pre-Covid levels in 2019. Domestic flights saw a 12 percent increase, attributed to the early lifting of restrictions on domestic borders.
Of the total flight movements in 2023, 171,605 were domestic flights and 108,348 were international.
MIAA anticipates further improvements in facilities, equipment, infrastructure, runways, and terminals to accommodate the increasing volume of passengers, which exceeded 45.38 million in 2023.
These efforts are part of a broader strategy to enhance aviation operations and meet growing demand at NAIA.
