The age-old Iloilo Airport in Mandurriao District is scheduled to be replaced by a bigger and better facility located in Santa Barbara on March 2007. Let’s take a look at the performance of the Iloilo Domestic Airport to see if current trends are able to support a much bigger and modern facility.

In 2001, passenger traffic in the Iloilo Domestic Airport in Manduriao District was pegged at 638,538. Last year, passenger traffic increased to 708,469 or an increase of 69,931 or 9.87%, making it the fourth busiest airport in the country in terms of passenger traffic after: NAIA (16,485,178), Mactan IA (1,897,675), Davao IA (1,347,034 ). Furthermore, aircraft movement in Iloilo Airport was 13,940 in 2001 and 8,998 in 2005.

Passenger traffic in other airports in the region in 2005
Bacolod, Negros Occidental – 563,571
Caticlan, Aklan – 521,518
Kalibo, Aklan – 242,183
Roxas, Capiz – 94,249
San Jose, Antique – 2,908

Top 10 busiest airports in the Philippines in terms of passenger traffic in 2005
1. Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Metro Manila – 16,485,178
2. Mactan International Airport, Cebu – 1,897,675
3. Davao International Airport – 1,347,034
4. Iloilo Airport – 708,469
5. Bacolod Airport, Negros Occidental – 563,571
6. Caticlan Airport, Aklan – 521,518
7. Cagayan de Oro Airport – 464,054
8. Zamboanga Airport – 360,925
9. Puerto Princesa Airport, Palawan – 267,778
10. Kalibo Airport, Aklan – 242,183

Meanwhile, cargo movement in the Iloilo Airport in 2001 was 8,707,751, which increased to 10,313,511 in 2005. Also, making it the fourth busiest airport in the country in terms of cargo movement after: NAIA(414,274,230), Davao IA(70,372,167), and Mactan IA(34,045,843)