Air passenger volume up 10.9% in 1st quarter

AIR PASSENGER volume rose 10.9% to 15.98 million in the first quarter, driven by a surge in domestic traffic, the Civil Aeronautics Board reported.

In the three months to March, domestic passenger traffic rose 14.38% year on year to 8.51 million.

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific and its Cebgo unit accounted for the largest share of domestic traffic with a combined 4.70 million.

This was followed by Philippine Airlines (PAL) and unit PAL Express at a combined 2.42 million.

Domestic passenger traffic for AirAsia Philippines  was 1.18 million.

AirSwift Transport, Inc., which was recently acquired by Cebu Pacific, logged 142,381 passengers for the first quarter, while boutique airline Sunlight Air carried 51,077 and Royal Air Charter Service, Inc. 14,586.

International passenger volume grew 7.17% to 7.47 million during the period, with foreign carriers accounting for 3.90 million and domestic carriers 3.57 million.

The operator of the country’s main gateway, New NAIA Infra Corp. is projecting passenger traffic at Ninoy Aquino International Airport to surpass 50 million this year.

The International Air Transport Association, an airline trade association, said it is expecting air passenger volume in the Asia-Pacific to grow 7% in 2025. — Ashley Erika O. Jose