CAB: Double-digit drop in air passengers, flight frequencies due to COVID-19

Local airlines have registered drops of as much as 30% in February in terms of passengers, as air travel has been hit by the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a press conference in Pasay City, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said double-digit losses have been plaguing the industry since the first cases were reported in late January and early February.

"Sa feedback na nakukuha namin sa airlines, especially domestic airlines, there's a drop ranging from 20% to 30%," said Jim Sydiongco, CAB board member and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) director-general.

"In NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) alone, we have seen a drop in about 70 to 100 events in one day," he added.

His remarks were shared by Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Ed Monreal, who said that drops have been registered both in terms of passengers and in terms of flight frequency.

"For the figures in Manila, we keep on tracking the statistics, meaning the figures. We have seen approximately about 30% drop in terms of passengers and likewise 25% in terms of flight frequency," he said.

"Sumatotal sa isang buwan, noong Pebrero, bumaba tayo ng almost 476,000 passengers sa ating paliparan. That consists of arrival and departure, domestic and international. Mas marami ho ang international drop ng pasahero," added Monreal.

The Philippines on Sunday confirmed four new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total in the country to 10.

President Rodrigo Duterte has since signed a proclamation declaring a public health emergency. —KBK, GMA News