Cebu Pacific passenger volume growth slows in June

Rappler.com

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The Gokongwei-led carrier and unit Tigerair PH target to service 17 million passengers for the whole year

 SOARING HIGH IN 1H 2014. Despite the passenger volume decline in June, Cebu Pacific posted a 7.6% growth for the first half of 2014. File photo from Airbus

MANILA, Philippines – The number of passengers flown by Cebu Pacific continued to grow in June, although at a slower pace than May, the budget carrier reported on Wednesday, July 30.

Cebu Pacific said it flew 1.31 million passengers in June, a 9.2% growth from 1.2 million in the same month last year. This was lower than the 11.3% annual growth posted in May, the peak of the summer season.

Last month’s passenger volume translated to a load factor of 84.8%, better than last year’s 83.4%.

In the first half, the budget carrier owned by taipan John Gokongwei Jr. booked a 7.6% increase in number of passengers, attributed to its aggressive marketing promotions and route expansion.

Cebu Pacific serviced 8.05 million passengers from January to June this year or 568,854 more than the 7.48 million passengers it flew in the same period of 2013.

“Cebu Pacific attributes its passenger growth to the increased presence in key markets, strategic seat sales, and continuous network expansion,” the carrier’s vice president for corporate affairs Jorenz Tañada said in a text message.

During the period, the airline’s seat capacity jumped 7.2% to 9.39 million passengers from 8.76 million as the number of its aircraft increased to 50 from 43.

Such translated to a load factor of 85.7% in the first 6 months, higher than the 85.4% in the same period last year.

More passengers, more routes

Cebu Pacific and unit Tigerair Philippines aim to service 17 million passengers this year, Tañada said.

Cebu Pacific operates an extensive network of 60 domestic and 34 international routes, with a total of 2,231 scheduled weekly flights. It will operate 62 Airbus aircraft with an average age of 4.16 years by 2017 as part of its $4-billion refleeting program.

Cebu Pacific is gearing up for possible flights to the United States particularly Hawaii and Guam after the US Federal Aviation Administration upgraded the safety rating of the Philippines back to Category 1, allowing local carriers to launch new and expand existing services to the world’s largest economy.

The airline is also looking at flying to London, Paris, and Amsterdam after the European Union lifted a ban preventing it from entering the European airspace. – Rappler.com

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