Slow economic activity clipped the Philippines’ domestic air cargo volume last year, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board.
Volume shipped by the country’s five major airlines — Cebu Pacific (CEB), Philippine Airlines (PAL), AirPhil Express, ZestAir, and Seair — declined 0.09% to 183.312 million kilograms (kgs) for the whole of last year from 183.477 million kgs in 2010.
CEB handled the most cargo in 2011 at 90.82 million kgs followed by PAL, 53.97 million kgs; PAL subsidiary AirPhil Express, 24.49 million kgs; ZestAir, 15.23 kgs; and Seair, 170,574 kgs.
Domestic passenger volume, on the other hand, increased 13.3% to 18.76 million in 2011 from the previous year’s 16.55 million. The improvement was underpinned by promotional fares offered by the carriers.
CEB flew the most number of passengers in 2011 at 8.478 million, up 6.3% from 7.972 million. The carrier enjoyed an 81% load factor for the period in review.
In second place was PAL which carried 4.312 million passengers, 18.8% less than its 2010 record of 5.311 million. PAL’s load factor for last year was 75%.
Airphil Express flew 3.698 million passengers in 2011, double the 1.849 million it serviced in the previous year. Its 2011 load factor was 74%.
Zest Airways carried more passengers in 2011 at 2.151 million than 2010’s 1.229 million. The airline’s load factor was 74% in 2011.
Seair suffered a decline in passenger volume to 124,468 from 193,183 passengers.
