More int’l flights coming to Manila, says Naia operator

MANILA, Philippines — More international flights are landing at the country’s main air hub, thanks to increasing tourism and trade activities, according to San Miguel-led New Naia Infra Corp. (NNIC).

The group said on Tuesday there was “a steady rise” in international flights and airlines expanding their reach to include Manila through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL), for one, has started offering direct flights between Manila and Da Nang in central Vietnam on Tuesday.

READ: Naia braces for 30% rise in passenger volume

It would not stop there this year as more routes will be added, NNIC noted.

Air India, the group said, would launch its maiden direct flight from New Delhi in October. United Airlines, meanwhile, would boost its daily flights to San Francisco in the fourth quarter.

Early this 2025, industry players Air France, Air Canada, and Vietjet Airlines also introduced new routes, including direct flights to Seattle (United States), Brisbane (Australia), Paris (France), Sapporo (Japan) and Vancouver (Canada).

“We are scoring quick wins where we can by improving systems, facilities, and passenger flow. The results: we are now able to accommodate more flights and reduce congestion at the terminals,” NNIC president Ramon Ang said in a statement.

NNIC, the private operator of Naia, is a consortium that includes SMC and Incheon International Airport Corp.

The group is developing a new terminal to increase passenger capacity to 62 million annually, boost air traffic movements to 48 per hour, and accommodate more food, retail, and lounge offerings.

It has also begun upgrading check-in and baggage handling equipment. To recall, mounting complaints were aired late last year as the technical issue in the baggage handling system had caused delays.

NNIC has started managing Naia operations in September 2024. It has committed to spending more than P170 billion to rehabilitate and modernize the main air gateway.

(2025/07/02-02:08)