MCIAA to complete expansion by November

CEBU, Philippines - The Mactan International Airport Authority (MCIAA) announced the completion of its P178.6 million expansion project by November of this year, in anticipation of the implementation of the country’s “Open Skies” policy.

“We are constantly upgrading our airport facility. We ready to accommodate increasing number of departing and arriving passengers,” said MCIAA general manager Nigel Paul Villarete in an interview.

According to Villarete, the airport’s expansion projects started last year. These include; the construction of two more passengers waiting lounges, two boarding bridges, and two more passageways to the bridges.

Also, Villarete said that the airport management is now on its way to formulate the airport’s master-plan following the completion of the US$1.4 feasibility study funded by the Korea International Cooperating Agency (KOICA) which will be finished by April of this year.

The master-plan of the 700-hectare Mactan Airport property is targeted to be completed by August 2011.

Villarete said if these plans will materialize, a possibility to build Terminals 2 and 3 is more likely, just like in Metro Manila.

At present, the Mactan International Airport is hosting an average of 430 domestic flights and 80 international flights a week. Although, number of flights varies every week, he said.

With the expected coming in of more international airlines due to the implementation of “Open Skies” policy in the Philippines, Villarete said Cebu could well accommodate entry of more international airlines, as well as expansion of flight frequency and additional routes of existing local and foreign airlines.

"We are excited over the expansion since this will further push Cebu as a major destination for tourists in the country,” said Villarete.

The airport can handle any increase of arriving and departing flights," Villarete told reporters in an interview during the holding of Ayala Center-Cebu’s Balik-Cebu program.

He added that with the additional facility, this would make the Mactan-Cebu airport more than ready for more flights once government adopts “Open Skies” policy.

The “Open Skies” policy is defined as an international policy concept calling for the liberalization of rules and regulations on international aviation industry most especially commercial aviation, and once which opens a free market for the airline industry.

Record obtained from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) revealed that even before the implementation of the “Open Skies” policy, there are already a total of 70 foreign carriers given the rights to fly to Cebu.

However, out of 70 foreign carriers which have rights to open direct flights from Cebu, only six airlines have actual operation here, these include Cathay Pacific, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Silk Air, Jeju Air, and Qatar Airways. (FREEMAN)