Increased air traffic noted in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY — More people are flying to Mindanao.

According to the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco), there was a marked increase in Mindanao’s air traffic and the number of passengers in 2005 as indicated by records obtained from various airports on the island.

Mindanao has airport facilities in the cities of Davao, Zamboanga, General Santos, Cotabato, Surigao, Butuan and Cagayan de Oro.

Feeder airports are located in the capital towns of Bongao in Tawi-Tawi, Jolo in Sulu and Mati in Davao Oriental.

Mindanao airports registered 1.69 million air passengers and 18,809 flights in the first half of the year, or an increase of 1.84 percent and 3.42 percent, respectively, compared to the same period last year.

There was also a significant increase in the volume of air cargo during the same period.

The increase in the number of flights and passengers could be attributed to the increase in the number of airlines servicing Mindanao routes and those connecting various destinations on the island.

Major carriers like the Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines have increased the frequencies of their Mindanao flights, while South Phoenix Airline, Asian Spirit and Southeast Asian Airlines (Seair) have also been very active.

The Davao City International Airport, noted to be the busiest airport in the South, registered the most number of passengers during the first six months of the year at 874,825, comprising more than half of Mindanao’s total air passengers during the first half of 2005.

The most number of flights was also recorded in Davao City as it was serviced by major airlines and large aircraft.

Davao was followed by the Cagayan de Oro airport, with 266,370 passengers; Zamboanga City, 189,374; General Santos City, 149,785; and Butuan City, 62,149.

The Surigao City airport also reported a significant increase in air traffic. From only 3,000 passengers in the first six months of 2004, the number grew to 18,000 during the same period this year.

The increase was attributed to the upswing in the number of tourists who visited the nearby island of Siargao for surfing and other recreational activities.