PHILIPPINE budget airline Cebu Pacific (CEB) posted a 14% increase in passenger volume last year to 12 million compared to 10.5 million in 2010.
The increase was anchored on a 22% hike in international passenger volume to 2.72 million last year, thanks to the introduction of additional flights to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Brunei, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, Seoul, and Bangkok.
Domestic passenger volume reached 9.22 million in 2011, up 12% from 8.23 million in 2010.
Last year’s domestic load factor was 88%, two percentage points higher than in 2010. The average load factor for both domestic and international routes was 86% in 2011 from the previous year’s 85%.
“CEB was able to add 13% more seat capacity in 2011, and this translates to more flights for passengers,” CEB vice president for marketing and distribution Candice Iyog said.
The passenger volume target for 2012 is 14 million.
Meanwhile, CEB will start operating a Manila-Hanoi service on March 17, 2012. It will also reopen its Manila-Xiamen service and begin its first international flight from Kalibo, international gateway to world-renowned Boracay island, with its Kalibo-Hong Kong flights on March 23, 2012.
CEB currently operates 10 Airbus A319s, 19 Airbus A320s and 8 ATR-72 500s. Its fleet of 37 aircraft — with an average age of 3.6 years — is one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world. Between 2012 and 2021, the airline will take delivery of an additional 23 Airbus A320s and 30 Airbus A321neos.
