MCIA among best airports in Asia-Pacific

CEBU, Philippines — For the second consecutive year, Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has been recognized among the Best Airports in Asia-Pacific in the 5–15 million passengers category under the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality (ASQ) program.

The recognition comes as the airport operator, Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation (ACAC), continues to invest in infrastructure, technology, connectivity, sustainability, and customer experience since taking over operations in 2024.

The ACI ASQ recognition is based on standardized passenger feedback covering more than 50 airport touchpoints, providing an independent measure of travelers’ experiences at the airport.

MCIA also advanced from Level 2 to Level 3 of ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation, reflecting its shift from customer experience planning to active implementation across airport operations and service delivery.

Level 3 recognizes an advanced customer experience strategy involving passengers, airport team members, and customer experience professionals.

“Our focus has been on making investments and improvements that create a better airport experience—from infrastructure and technology to operations and connectivity,” said Rafael M. Aboitiz, Aboitiz InfraCapital vice president and head of Airports in a statement.

“The goal is to translate these efforts into a safer, more efficient, and more connected journey for every passenger who passes through MCIA,” he added.

ACAC General Manager Ricia Montejo said the recognitions show that the improvements made at the airport are being experienced by passengers and measured against global standards.

“These recognitions affirm that the improvements ACAC has made are being felt by our passengers and recognized against global standards. They also reinforce our responsibility to keep improving,” Montejo said.

She credited the continued support of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and the airport community in the continuing development of MCIA.

Among the major improvements at MCIA is CEB Connects, which began operations in April 2025 to streamline air-to-air transfers and improve passenger flow.

The initiative introduced dedicated transfer facilities and streamlined processes, reducing the minimum connection time for domestic-to-domestic transfers from 60 minutes to 35 minutes.

Domestic-to-international, international-to-domestic, and international-to-international connections were reduced to 60 minutes.

MCIA was subsequently named Airport of the Year – Asia at the 2025 TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards, with the recognition highlighting its transfer improvements.

Since its launch, CEB Connects has facilitated more than 500,000 passenger transfers.

MCIA was also ranked the seventh Most Improved Airport in the World by Skytrax in 2025, based on improvements in passenger services and airport experience.

In 2026, MCIA became the first Philippine airport to join ACI’s Regional Operational Safety Committee, expanding its participation in regional discussions on aviation safety and operational standards.

The airport also achieved Level 2 Airport Carbon Accreditation in August 2026, recognizing its established carbon management approach and efforts to reduce emissions.

These include a 1.64-megawatt-peak rooftop solar installation, energy-efficiency measures, smart sensors, LED lighting, and improved monitoring of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems and vehicle fuel consumption.

The airport’s development is being pursued through the public-private partnership between MCIAA and ACAC, with the support and oversight of DOTr, CAAP, and other government and industry stakeholders.

The partnership combines government stewardship with private-sector investment and operational expertise to develop MCIA as a safe, efficient, competitive, and passenger-focused gateway for Cebu and the Philippines. — (FREEMAN)