Cargo volume handled by Philippine domestic carriers grew 2.1% in the first three quarters of 2019 to 239.086 million kilograms (kg) from 234.211 million kg handled in the same quarters last year, data from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showed.
Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific remained the carrier with the highest cargo volume, accounting for 45.5% or 108.758 million kg of the total volume flown in the first three quarters of 2019. This is 2.9% higher than the 105.711 million kg flown in the first three quarters of 2018.
PAL Express (PALEx) also maintained its position in second place with a 26% share or 62.320 million kg. PALEx’s volume in the first threes quarters rose 0.01% from the 62.311 million kg of cargo carried in the same period last year.
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines, keeping its place in third, accounted for 16% or 38.523 million kg, which is 2.9% down from the 39.689 million kg it registered in the first three quarters of last year.
Budget airline Philippines AirAsia, still in fourth place, contributed 10% to the total with 23.345 million kg, recording an 18.6% increase from the 19.685 million kg it handled last year.
Cebu Pacific’s sister airline Cebgo flew 2.755 kg to account for 1.2% of the total. Cebgo’s January-September 2019 volume was, however, 10.5% lower than the 3.077 million kg carried year-on-year.
Coming in sixth place is SEAIR International, which flies to Aklan and Palawan and provides chartered flights to and from South Korea. It registered 1.773 kg or 0.74% of the total, lower by 7.2% from the 1.912 kg it handled last year.
Leisure airline Magnum (Skyjet) Air flew 0.3% or 759,415 kg, falling 25% from the 1.014 million kg lifted in the first three quarters of 2018.
Boutique airline AirSwift also posted a 12% decline to 475,204 kg from 540,022 kg previously, contributing 0.2% to the total.
Charter airline Island Aviation Corp., which started cargo operations just in the third quarter of 2019, handled 281,874 kg or 0.1% of the total, landing in eighth place.
Charter airline and sea plane operator Air Juan Aviation, Inc., recorded a decrease of 64.7% to 95,770 kg in January to September this year from 271,930 kg in the first three quarters of 2018. – Roumina Pablo
