MCIA starts full commercial operations

MANILA, Philippines — The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) sees a 13 percent growth in passenger volume this year after starting full commercial operations of its Terminal 2 catering to international flights yesterday. 

MCIA operator GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) said the first arriving and departing flights at Terminal 2 were operated by China Eastern Airlines.

Flight MU 5023 arrived from the Shanghai Pudong Airport in China at 3:40 a.m., while flight MU 5024 departed Terminal 2 for Shanghai at 4:40 a.m.

“Our opening day will set the tone for the remainder of our operations,” GMCAC president Louie Ferrer said.

“Not only are we aiming for seamless, world-class service, we also want to give our passengers the kind of welcome that only this airport can give,” he said. 

MCIA Terminal 2 was the first airport project inaugurated under President Duterte’s term.

MCIA aims to serve 11.3 million passengers this year from 9.97 million last year.

At present, MCIA has 26 partner carriers serving 23 international destinations and 33 domestic destinations. 

With the opening of the new terminal being positioned as a world-class resort gateway, Ferrer said GMCAC plans to tap new markets in Australia, Europe, US, India and the Middle East. 

“Currently, there are no direct flights to these destinations. What we hope to do is to tap these markets through our existing partner carriers,” he said. 

He said GMCAC also wants to increase flight frequency to China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Thailand. 

In another development, the Department of Transportation said yesterday, it is set to inaugurate the new passenger terminal building of the Maasin Airport in Southern Leyte today. 

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade will lead the inauguration, together with DOTr Undersecretary Manuel Antonio Tamayo, and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) director general Jim Sydiongco.

The opening of the new passenger terminal building is expected to upgrade the Maasin Airport to meet increasing air transport demands. 

Meanwhile, work on the Kalibo Airport’s passenger terminal building is set to commence today after the contract amounting to P17.94 million was awarded to the winning bidder.

The CAAP plans to make the most of the given time to work on the project with the closure of Boracay Island from April until October this year.