[ Manila Bulletin Online ] April 16, 2008
By LINO SANCHEZ
Hike in passenger volume, flights, terminal fee earnings cited
CLARK FREEPORT — With its two 3.2-kilometer parallel runways located in a 2,500-hectare area, the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) could be on its way to becoming the country’s premier gateway in the next few years.
No less than President Arroyo had envisioned the development of the DMIA into an international services hub and an international passenger airport as part of a grand plan for a megalogistics and services hub in the Subic-Clark corridor.
Subic is the site of a deep-sea port, while Clark is the site of an international airport.
Both growth centers is now interconnected by the 91-kilometer Subic-ClarkTarlac Expressway which is built at a cost of R27.5 billion.
The Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), which operates DMIA, expects to increase passenger capacity in the international airport here from 500,000 per year to at least two million with the expanded terminal.
Last year, the airport registered more than 480,000 domestic and international passengers, and it is expected to service more than half-million passengers this year.
CIAC President and CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano said DMIA is increasing its capacity in a bid to facilitate the continued growth in passenger volume.
DMIA is averaging at least 42,000 passengers a month this year.
Luciano, who had played a key role in the entry of international flights in DMIA, expressed optimism that more passengers will be accommodated once the expansion of the terminal is finished.
More check-in counters will be installed inside the terminal to speed up processing of outbound and inbound passengers.
Most of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) deployed in nearby Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Bangkok, Macau, and Hong Kong are passing through DMIA because of the cheap fares offered by budget airlines.
"Our Filipino workers heading overseas no longer have to travel all the way to Manila to catch their flights because DMIA is right at their doorstep," Luciano said.
"Cheap fares also allow our beloved OFWs to go home as often as they want," he said.
Citing its contribution to the regional aviation industry, the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) has cited DMIA as the "Low -Cost Airport of the Year 2006."
Luciano received the plaque of recognition from CAPA Executive Chairman Peter Harbison during the Aviation Outlook Summit held in Singapore last year.
DMIA was also chosen "Airport of the Year 2007" by the prestigious Frost and Sullivan Global consulting firm during simple ceremonies held in Singapore.
DMIA’s annual volume of traffic has been growing rapidly since it started operations.
In 2004, DMIA posted 230 international flights with 49,546 passengers.
The following year, it recorded 1,188 flights with 224,497 passengers, and 2,065 international flights with 470,867 passengers a year after.
Also, DMIA recorded 432 domestic flights with 9,442 passengers in 2004, and 455 flights with 7,816 passengers and 443 flights with 17,889 passengers in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
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