MANILA, Philippines — Clark International Airport booked a triple-digit jump in passenger traffic on the recovering demand for air travel worldwide.
The Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD), the operator of the alternative gateway to the Philippines, said it recorded 434,214 passengers from January to August this year.
About 363,878 of the guests went on international flights, while the other 70,336 travelers took domestic trips.
LIPAD CEO Noel Manankil said the recovery in passenger traffic translated to about four times of growth.
Manankil pointed out that the number of domestic guests grew by sixfold, while the volume of international travelers has almost quadrupled as of August.
“(Clark airport) achieved these milestones by basically following the countries that are opening their borders. Domestic travel, for its part, is expected to grow further in this last quarter with the expected rise in holiday travel,” Manankil said.
Against pre-pandemic numbers, Manankil said passenger traffic in the seven months to August beat by 16 percent the record during the same period in 2019.
The LIPAD chief said the rise in passenger volume was triggered by the 31 percent increase in the total number of foreign travelers landing in Clark.
Also, a total of 3,205 planes took off flights to and from Clark between January and August, divided into 2,429 for international routes and 776 for domestic operations.
According to Manankil, the rebound in passenger traffic shows the possibility that the travel industry can soon retrieve most of its losses to the pandemic. He expects guests to start considering flying to and from Clark to maximize the amenities and facilities offered by the alternative gateway to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The operator of the international airport vowed to sustain its support to partner carriers, especially those coming from the Middle East, who never halted operations even at the height of the pandemic.
Elijah Felice Rosales – The Philippine Star
September 18, 2022 | 12:00am
