Promo fares, more flights increase int’l passengers to 8.63-M in H1

MANILA, Philippines – Cheap airline fares and increased number of flights bound for Philippine destinations are behind the 7.41% increase in number of passengers on board international flights in the first 6 months of 2012.

Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) data showed international passengers reached 8.63 million in the first half compared to  8.03 million a year ago.

Of the 8,631,252 passengers were recorded from January to June this 2012, incoming passengers totaled 4,138,519 while outgoing ones reached 4,492,733.
 
“The traffic continues to improve because the airline industry as a whole is improving. Many airlines also offer cheaper fares and many flights and the appetite to travel via airplane has come back,” said CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla.
 
Philippine Airlines (PAL), which topped the passenger traffic on CAB’s list, saw its traffic improving to 2,148,076 as against 2,044,491 ending June last year.
 
Cebu Pacific Air, which came in second, also recorded higher numbers. It transported 1,433,362 passengers at end June this year from 1,296,565 in the same period a year ago.
 
Zest Air reported 126,528 as against 84,793 international passengers; Airphil Express recorded lower numbers during the period from 84,433 to 76,380; and Seair recorded 132,710 passengers from 90,280 passengers for the first half of the year.
 
The rest of the top 10 carriers on CAB’s list were: Cathay Pacific Airways, 747,411; Singapore Airlines, 351,752,; Asiana Airlines, 266,013; Emirates Air, 304,206; Northwest Airlines, 202,203; Korean Air, 309,647; Thai Airways, 119,950; China Airlines, 133,927; Asiana Airlines, 266,013; Etihad Airways,276,606; Emirates Air, 304,206 and Qatar Airways, 230,503. – Rappler.com