MANILA - The New Boracay Airport has been opened to jet flights, increasing air traffic to the popular tourism destination, its operator said Wednesday.

Before its renovation by San Miguel Corp. unit TransAire Development Holdings Corp., the airport in Caticlan was limited to smaller turbo-prop planes.

Passengers who opt to take jets had to travel by land to a jetty port from Kalibo airport in mainland Aklan.

"For passengers, this can only mean more airlines competing to offer better services, more affordable airfares, convenience, and less travel time," San Miguel President Ramon Ang said in a statement.

The first jet flight, a Cebu Pacific Airbus A320, landed on the airport last week.

Aside from an expanded runway, the renovation also included an apron that can accommodate up to nine Airbus A320s or Boeing 737-900s, according to the San Miguel statement.