Domestic travel up 10.6% at end-September
MANILA – Philippine domestic air travel grew by double digits in the first nine months of the year boosted by budget airlines’ promo offerings, according to Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).
CAB data show that domestic passengers from January to September rose by 10.6 percent to 12.27 million from last year’s 11.09 million.
The industry’s domestic load factor, or the number of seats occupied during a flight, slightly went up to 75.8 percent this year, from 74.6 percent last year.
Cebu Pacific remained the leading domestic airline during the first nine months this year as it carried 5.99 million passengers, 11.96 percent higher than last year’s 5.35 million. Its load factor went up to 84 percent from 81 percent last year.
Rival Philippine Airlines (PAL), carried 4.09 million passengers, or 11.15 percent lower than the 4.64 million a year ago.
The flag carrier’s load factor, however, went up to 79 percent from 78 percent last year.
Passengers carried by Air Philippines rose by 250.01 percent to 1.12 million passengers from 320.65 million passengers last year.
Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAIR) also recorded an increase in passengers flown at 159,086 from last year’s 127,600 passengers.
Zest Airways carried 902,935 passengers this year, up by 36.9 percent from last year’s 659,544 passengers.
For the full year, CAB projected a 10 percent growth in domestic air travel.
CAB data also showed that air cargo rose by 34.32 percent to 134.82 million kilograms from 100.37 million in the same six-month period last year.
Of the total, PAL carried 53.46 kilograms; AirPhil, 4.79 million; Cebu Pacific, 66.85 million; SEAIR, 194,961; and Pacific East Asia Cargo, 594,979.*PNA
