The Department of Transporation (DOTr) on Saturday, January 6, announced that there was a 95-percent passenger volume at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last year, surpassing the pre-pandemic flight movements in 2019.

According to the DOTr, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) logged 279,953 flights in NAIA in 2023, which constituted a 26-percent increase from the 221,595 flights in 2022 and 271,535 in 2019.

“In terms of domestic flights, we’re recording 12% more than in 2019. This strong domestic rebound is not only a testament to the resilience of our local aviation industry but also reflects the support of travelers in revitalizing our domestic tourism sector,” MIAA General Manager Eric Jose Ines said as quoted by the transportation department.

“We have also returned international flight operations to 91% of pre-pandemic levels. We are encouraged by the renewed confidence in air travel, reaffirming our collective efforts to steer the aviation sector back to pre-pandemic levels. This is a significant step towards normalcy in global air travel,” he added.

DOTr said MIAA had implemented certain measures to deal with the surge in flights and passenger volumes. It was also expecting improvements in facilities, infrastructure, equipment, runways, and terminals in hopes of holding up to 62 million passengers every year.

“In light of the initiatives we are implementing, we can assure the public that we have their enhanced experience in mind. We’re pleased to say that we’re on target for delivering a better NAIA experience moving forward,” Ines said.