NAIA Undas traffic up 4%

MANILA, Philippines —  Airfares may be kicking to new highs, but this did not stop Filipinos from traveling during the Undas break, with passenger traffic at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport increasing by four percent.

NAIA operator New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC) yesterday said passenger volume during the Undas holiday went up to 1.29 million from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4, from 1.24 million in 2025.

The traffic beat by three percent NNIC’s forecast of just 1.25 million, proving that Filipinos have saved up for flights amid fare hikes.

By segment, NAIA’s international traffic rose by four percent to 642,691. Domestic count grew by five percent to 642,194, according to NNIC.

It said Oct. 30 was the busiest day during the Undas break, when NAIA handled 153,901 passengers. The actual passenger traffic exceeded NNIC’s projection of 149,216 for that day.

All in all, NAIA’s Undas traffic turned out higher than expected, as compared to NNIC’s forecast of just one-percent growth.

Prior to the Undas season, NNIC broadened its coordination with airlines, government agencies, ground handlers and transport providers to ensure that airport flow was seamless.

NNIC set up a 24-hour command center at Terminal 2, including public assistance desks across terminals, to address passenger complaints and facilitate airport movement.

Fares climbed to new highs recently, as jet fuel prices reached $200 per barrel. To date, airlines are allowed to collect a fuel surcharge of Level 17 until Nov. 15.

At Level 17, carriers can slap a fuel surcharge of P559 to P1,635 for domestic flights. Moreover, they may charge a pass-on fee of P1,846.1 to P13,726.58 for international trips.

Based on the tracker of the International Air Transport Association, jet fuel prices have averaged $191.54 per barrel as of Oct. 30, pressuring airlines to reassess their business strategies.

It remains to be seen when jet fuel prices would go down, given that security tensions in oil producer Middle East have no definite end in sight.