DOMESTIC air cargo volume in the Philippines grew 8.03% for the first nine months of the year to 158.56 million kilograms from 146.77 million kg in the same period last year, with Cebu Pacific Air contributing almost half of the total with a 49.63% share, data from the Civil Aeronautics Board showed.
Two other low-cost carriers posted whopping increases in their cargo volume for the period in review.
Tigerair Philippines, which relaunched its cargo business in June with a new marketing partner, saw volume skyrocket 1,532.31% to 1.53 million kg from its 93,637 kg in the same period last year. The volume surge drove the carrier up the ladder to fifth rank.
Air cargo handled by Air Asia, Inc. swelled 668.35% to 488,584 kg from the 63,584 kg in 2012.
The country’s largest low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific, carried 78.69 million kg of cargo in the first three quarters, improving 8.24% from 70.45 million kg in the same period in 2012.
Still in second rank was flag carrier Philippine Airlines, which shipped 43.41 million kg or 27.38% of the total, an increase of 1.14% from last year’s 42.92 million kg.
PAL Express, PAL’s sister carrier, retained its number 3 ranking as it improved 18.1% to 22.64 million kg from 19.17 million kg in the same period in 2012. PALex accounted for 14.28% of the total air cargo throughput.
Air Asia Zest, formerly Zest Airways, Inc., ranked fourth and accounting for 7.36% of the total, handled 11.67 million kg. This is a 17% decrease from last year’s 14.06 million kg.
Magnum Air, flying under the SkyJet brand to underserved provinces such as Batanes in the north and Surigao in the south, flew 97,848 kg.
Island Transvoyager, Inc., which offers air taxi and air charter services and mainly serving high-end fliers to El Nido Resorts in Palawan, contributed 27,045 kg. ––Roumina M. Pablo
