Air passenger volume rises to 17 million in Q1

AIR PASSENGER volume rose 6.70% to 17.05 million in the first quarter, driven by a surge in domestic passenger traffic, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) reported.

For the period, domestic passenger traffic rose 6.11% year on year to 9.03 million, while international passenger traffic increased to 8.02 million from 7.47 million a year earlier.

Pacific and its unit CebGo accounted for 5.10 million passengers during the period. Boutique airline AirSwift Transport, Inc., which was acquired by Cebu Pacific accounted for 95,148 passengers during the quarter.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines and unit PAL Express accounted for 2.49 million, with PAL carrying 291,338 and PAL Express 2.20 million.

AirAsia Philippines carried 291,338 passengers during the period, while boutique airline Sunlight Air flew 53,993. Island Aviation Corp. and Royal Air Charter Service, Inc. recorded 3,927 and 717 passengers, respectively.

For the first three months, the CAB reported that domestic carriers handled 3.97 million international passengers, while foreign carriers accounted for 4.05 million. — Ashley Erika O. Jose