The Philippines' Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark has cut the fees it charges passengers flying out of the country to help sustain its surging growth in passenger traffic.
The total charge has been reduced from PHP600 (US$14.5) to PHP400 (US$9.65) effective from the start of October. The passenger fee of PHP150 (US$3.6) for domestic flights remains unchanged.
“This is a good news for our passengers,” said Clark International Airport Corporation president and chief executive Victor Jose I Luciano. “It will attract more travellers and tourists to utilise Clark International Airport.”
He added that the new fee is the lowest of all the airports in the Philippines.
Located about 90km, or an hour's drive, north of Manila, DMIA provides an alternative to the city’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and is close to Clark Freeport Zone, an important industrial centre (read a review of the airport here).
In the first eight months of 2012 the airport saw its passenger traffic rise 63 per cent from the same period a year earlier.
“Clark International Airport is showing its potential to become the next premier gateway of the country,” said Luciano. He forecast that by year-end passenger volume could reach 1.5 million.
In September, the Philippine low-cost carrier Zest Air announced plans to launch a flight from DMIA to Seoul, alongside its existing flight from NAIA (see story here).
Both Cebu Pacific (see here) and Philippines AirAsia use DMIA as their hubs in the country. Other airlines using the airport include Asiana and Dragonair.
For more information, visit www.dmia.ph
Nicholas Olczak
