The development towards the future progresses,the traveler’s gateway「Mactan-Cebu International A」

© CEBU navi SAKURA ｜ vol.13 Jan.-Feb.2018

A new Mactan-Cebu International Airport terminal - The main gateway to the Philippines and the world.

The MCIA Before and After

Mactan Cebu Airport, an International and multi-awarded airport, is situated in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island and has the IATA airport code of “CEB”. The airport was built by the United States Air Force in 1956 as The Mactan Air Base, an emergency airport for the Strategic Air Command bombers. After which, it remained as an outpost until the Vietnam War in the 1960s.
In 2014, the Philippine government awarded Mactan Cebu International Airport to the consortium of GMR Infrastructure Limited from India and Megawide Construction from Philippines under the Build-Operate-Transfer Scheme, turning over operations, as well as the maintenance. This is the first Public-Private Partnership project of the Philippine government among its airport facilities. Presently, the airport is also the home for Cebgo, Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, Philippine Airlines, and Philippines AirAsia. It houses both domestic and international operations with an annual capacity of 4.5 million passengers.
As it’s been attracting many tourists from various foreign countries and also within the country, the importance of the airport continues to increase. Cebu’s airport is considered the 2nd busiest gateway, not only for domestic travels, but also for international destinations. A steady stream of local and foreign tourists have always been attracted to this province, thus, the expansion addressing the increasing volume of passenger traffic is necessary. The said expansion includes the new terminal, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 (T2).
The airport also provides several facilities for the passengers such as: cosmetic shops, duty free shops, coffee shops, snack stalls, restaurants, jewelry stores, fast food chains, departure area restaurants, ATM machines, ticketing booths, and cozy waiting areas for passengers to relax while waiting for their flights.

A walk-through shopping area with a great selection of food and gift items.

Terminal 2 will be equipped with 12 escalators and 15 elevators.

There will be 48 check-in counters, expandable to 72.

Future Developments

Due to the increasing number of passengers, the demand for an expansion is considerably important. Through close partnerships with the Department of Tourism and other stakeholders, GMCAC has started the transformation of MCIA into the country’s first resort airport by combining world class facilities and a welcoming atmosphere –a quality that Filipinos are known for. GMCAC envisions Cebu Airport as the main gateway to Central and Southern Philippines. With this, a brand new terminal (T2) is being constructed to lessen the congestion of the first terminal and is set to open in June 2018. With this new development, the new MCIA will increase its passenger capacity from its annual 4.5 million capacity to 12.5 million. Additionally, the second terminal will increase the rate of visitors to the city, as well as offer a wide ranging retail environment. For this reason, it will surely boost the economy and provide more jobs for Filipinos.
The new terminal’s design demonstrates the friendliness and hospitality of the Cebuanos, furthermore making the local airport a world-class facility with a “resort inspired” theme. A prominent design element of the new terminal is a series of 15-meter high arches that span 30 meters and evoke the image of the waves on the seas surrounding Mactan Island.
Terminal 2 will have a two-level forecourt, which segregates both the Arrival and Departure areas, that is fully integrated with the landside development. There will be 48 check-in counters that can expand to 72. It has provisions for seven passenger boarding bridges, which can be expanded to 12 boarding bridges, serving wide and narrow body aircrafts. It will also be equipped with 12 escalators and 15 elevators, facilitating the easy movement of passengers, especially for persons with disabilities.
In addition, a new parking space will be constructed which will accommodate 500-750 more cars. And, a variety of food and retail choices, malls, a casino, and a hotel will also be created.

A look at the data shows the importance of Mactan-Cebu Aiport

＊The tables illustrates domestic and international growth of Passenger Traffic and ATM.

Domestic and International Passenger Traffic and ATM Growth

Currently, there are 23 Airline Partners that transport passengers to and from Cebu with 20 international destinations and 35 domestic routes. The growth of passenger traffic, both domestic and international, has increased since 2016. The Air Traffic Management has experienced a dramatic growth for over a quarter in YTD-16 & YTD-17 and, from 7 million passengers coming through MCIA in 2014, the volume of the traffic has reached 10 million in 2017. International traffic has increased from 1.54 million in 2014, to about 3.1 million in 2017. Consequently, a need for a new terminal is the answer to accommodate the surging number of passengers in the coming years.

7 passenger boarding bridges, expandable to 12, serve wide and narrow-bodied aircrafts.

MCIA’s Flights and Carriers

Cebu connects to three destinations in Japan – Narita, Osaka, and Nagoya. Philippine Airlines has multiple flights a day to all three destinations. Cebu Pacific connects Cebu to Narita and in addition, Vanilla Air, a Japanese low-cost carrier, also flies daily between Narita and Cebu.
Cebu is also connected to other destinations, Dubai (DZB) in middle east and all over Asia, Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Singapore (SIN), Hong Kong (HKG), Kunming (KMG), Chengdu (CTU), and many more.

Introduction of airport development plan by Mr. Ravishankar Saravu - Chief Commercial Adviser (CCA)

A Prominent Construction Operator

GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation is a private operator combining the engineering expertise of Megawide Construction Corporation and an award-winning, world-renowned international airport operator and infrastructure developer – the GMR Group of India.

Hassle-Free Airport Experience

GMCAC does not only understand the need of seasoned travelers, but also aims to let each one experience their most-awaited vacation beginning the moment they arrive in MCIA. According to Mr. Saravu, there will be no more long queue for the Final Security Check because four X-ray machines have been provided to ensure seamless movement through the final check-in counters.
There are several self-service check-in kiosks to also help save time. A first in the Philippine airport history is the Rockwell Collins’ Veripax . The VeriPax system enables the verification of the passenger with flight and boarding pass information. Getting around the airport is easier with multi-lingual LED directional signages installed throughout the terminal. Also taken into consideration are eight transfer desk between the International and Domestic arrivals, available 24x7. After claiming their luggage and clearing with Customs, passengers can go to the Transfer Desks, drop their luggage, have their boarding passes printed and proceed to the second level to the Boarding Gates. Those with longer connecting time can also leave the Terminal, see, taste and experience Mactan for a few hours, and come back in time for their onward journey.

A place Where Beauty is One with Nature - Cebu

Cebu is strategically located in the center of the Philippines, which makes it a viable gateway for the archipelago. It is also considered the main international gateway for Visayas and Mindanao. Located ideally in the central part of Philippines, surrounded by beautiful islands, Cebu is set to be a premium hub in the country with several white sand beaches, luxury resorts, diving spots, rivers, mountains, and urban center – all within a few minutes distance from Cebu airport. We have a responsibility, as the first and last impression visitors will have of Cebu, to create a warm and pleasant experience because it can make or break their visit. We want the world to experience the beautiful Visayas islands and Mactan-Cebu airport is their gateway to this beautiful world!