MARCH 29, 2026 — Despite the war in the Middle East pushing up fuel costs and disrupting routes, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is bracing for a record Holy Week surge — projecting 1.35 million passengers from March 28 to April 5, slightly higher than last year’s 1.33 million. The busiest day is expected on April 5 with nearly 159,000 travelers.

Here we go again: the annual Holy Week pilgrimage of Filipinos to airports, bus terminals, and seaports. But this year, the backdrop is different. The war in Iran has disrupted Middle East airspace and sent jet fuel prices soaring. For a country like ours, where thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) rely on Middle East routes, this has become a pocketbook issue.

New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the San Miguel-backed operator of NAIA, says passenger demand remains strong, but growth is “lower than earlier expected due to flight suspensions and operating restrictions affecting some Middle East services.”

The numbers 

• 1.35 million passengers projected from March 28–April 5
• 143,000+ daily travelers, with April 5 peaking at 158,884
• Terminal 3 will carry the heaviest load at 712,932 passengers
• Terminal 2: 346,342; Terminal 1: 293,990

To cope, NNIC has deployed extra staff at check-in, immigration, and security, extended passenger assistance desk hours, and rolled out real-time congestion monitoring. Since taking over operations in September 2024, the operator has promised smoother passenger flow and facility upgrades.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific have both admitted the oil crunch is real, but they’re holding the line for now. PAL says fuel supply is secured until June, Cebu Pacific until end-April. Still, the specter of higher fares looms. And let’s be honest that when jet fuel spikes, it’s not airline executives who feel the pinch first — it’s the ordinary Pinoy traveler.

To us, Holy Week is more than a travel season; it’s a cultural rhythm. Families reunite, OFWs come home, and vacationers flock to beaches and provinces. But the war halfway across the globe reminds us how fragile our mobility is. A conflict in Iran can ripple all the way to Pasay, raising ticket prices and reshaping travel plans.

Do you think the Middle East war can really stop us from chasing sunsets in Boracay or reveling in family reunions in the province? Because if history has shown anything, it’s that Pinoys always find a way to keep moving, no matter the odds. 

(Image: NAIA | Facebook)