The Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga is bucking the general slowdown in air travel as it registers 22 percent increase in the number of passengers in the first half this year traveling through this gateway over the same period last year.

Victor Jose I. Luciano, president and CEO of the Clark International Airport Corp., said that the June month figure alone showed a higher growth of 29 percent.

"We buck the regional trend," Luciano told reporters after his speech at the Metro Manila Business Conference.

Luciano said they just reached 2 million international passengers and one million domestic passengers with Malaysia having Malaysia accounting for the bulk or 32 percent of the total number of passengers.

Luciano also announced various number of secured air entitlements allowing more flights from other countries to fly into DMIA starting this year.

The expansion of the international airport runway, Luciano said DMIA would be the only airport in the country that can handle the biggest aircraft of Airbus 838.

Once the three runways of DMIA become operational, they would be able to handle 80 million passengers.

Luciano said that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is already very congested with the 27 million annual passengers.

"This is why we have to fast-track the development of DMIA as it would become the country's premier international gateway and for NAIA to be converted into a domestic airport," he said.

At present, there are 6 airlines flying in and out of DMIA four of which are international passenger fights including Air Asia, Asiana Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Tiger Airways.

Cebu Pacific is making DMIA its hub for its international flights to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore. Cebu Pacific also flies to Cebu through DMIA.

Seair and Zest Airways fly to Caticlan through DMIA. (BCM)