Mactan-Cebu International Airport hailed as “Asia Pacific Medium Airport of the Year”

Was the first airport public-private partnership project in the country a success? Well, the newly-renovated Mactan-Cebu International Airport is now crowned as the country’s premiere international airport. In fact, among all the other airports with 10M annual passengers in the Asia Pacific Region, MCIA recently received the distinction as “Asia Pacific Medium Airport of the Year” by Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). It stood out among other airports in terms of advancements in progress for the aviation industry.

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Located at the center of the Philippines, MCIA holds a strategic location as gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao. Moreover, as Cebu remains as one of the world’s resort destination, the international airport adapted its identity as an island resort by reflecting the rich tropical culture and heritage of the province on its façade and interior.

Such achievements were just two years after the GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation took over the operations under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement wherein 60% shared ownership is of the Filipino construction company Megawide Construction Corporation and 40% by Banglore-based GMR Infrastructure Limited.

Together with Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Korea and Malaysian Airports were awarded as best gateways in the region as well; while Incheon International Airport received the “Asia Pacific Large Airport of the Year” award and Malaysia’s Senai International Airport got MCIA’s former recognition as “Asia Pacific Small Airport of the Year”.

Such successes can be attributed to the extensive collaboration of efforts among the airport’s partner communities, government and private stakeholders, and individuals who took initiatives in marketing the airlines and their respective destinations. With these, Cebu was able to augment its connectivity with other places and increase the number of passengers, just months after the operation of MCIA Terminal 2 – accommodating more than 8.6 million passengers (7.5M on the previous year), 66% from the locals and 34% international. In addition, with more than 15 new routes opening last 2018, passengers from Cebu can now enjoy direct flights to more international destinations like:

  • Sichuan Airlines flight to Chongqing (4x a week to daily)
  • Philippine Airlines flight to Nagoya (3 to 4x a week)
  • Cebu Pacific flights to Hong Kong (daily to 10x a week)
  • Cebu Pacific flights to Tokyo (Narita) (4x a week to daily)
  • Tigere Taiwan flights to Taipei (4x times a week)
  • Cebu Pacific flights to Macau (4x a week)
  • Jeju Air flight to Muan, South Korea (5x a week)

All these accomplished in less than a year of operation! How much more once it’s complete?  That would be great to look forward to.

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