CAAP: Airline passenger volume expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Saturday said it expected the volume of airline passengers to surpass pre-pandemic levels following the recent slowdown in COVID-19 infections in the country.

"Based on the data before the pandemic, the ride receipt actually increases by between five to eight percent every year. Right now there is an indication that it is increasing anew, and it might surpass the normal level in 2019," CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said at the Laging Handa briefing.

Apolonio said that 42 CAAP supervised airports had commercial operations. Of those 42 airports, 25 were night-rated.

Meanwhile, CAAP had added more personnel due to the influx of passengers this summer season and the emergence of new COVID-19 variants.

"We had also coordinated with airline companies to increase their employees in check-in counters because these are the areas that start congestions, and to implement social distancing."

He said it was a "good sign" that the airline industry was going back to normal.

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific had announced the resumption of local flights from Cebu and Davao as it seeks to restore full pre-pandemic capacity during the summer season.

AirAsia Philippines had also increased its flight frequency during the Lenten season break in anticipation of the influx of travelers during the Holy Week. — DVM, GMA News