Cargo volume handled by Philippine domestic carriers grew 9.9% in the first quarter of 2019 to 78.373 million kilograms (kg) from 71.299 million kg handled in the same quarter last year as airlines posted a mix of improvement and decline, data from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showed.
Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific remained the carrier with the highest cargo volume, accounting for 46% or 36.018 million kg of the total volume flown in the first quarter of 2019. This is 3.6% higher than the 34.765 million kg flown in the first quarter of 2018.
PAL Express (PALEx) also maintained its position in second place with a 26% share or 20.2 million kg. PALEx’s first-quarter volume rose 14% from the 17.786 million kg of cargo it carried in the same period last year.
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines, keeping its place in third, accounted for 16% or 12.476 million kg, which is 10% up from the 11.392 million kg it registered in the first quarter of last year.
Budget airline Philippines AirAsia, still in fourth place, contributed 10% to the total with 7.638 million kg, recording a 46% increase from the 5.230 million kg it handled last year.
Cebu Pacific’s sister airline Cebgo, which flew 949,894 kg, accounted for 1.2% of the total. Cebgo’s first-quarter 2019 volume was, however, 8% lower than the 1.033 million kg carried in the same period last year.
SEAIR International, which flies to Aklan and Palawan and provides chartered flights to and from South Korea, registered 675,056 kg or 1% of the total, coming in sixth place. This volume is 44% higher than the 467,570 kg it handled last year.
Leisure airline Magnum (Skyjet) Air flew 0.24% or 189,536 kg, falling 46% from 350,881 kg lifted in the first quarter of 2018.
Boutique airline AirSwift also posted a 7% decline to 158,173 kg from 170,436 kg previously, contributing 0.2% to the total.
Charter airline and seaplane operator Air Juan Aviation, Inc. likewise recorded a decrease of 34.4% to 68,016 kg in the first quarter this year from 103,700 kg in the same quarter of 2018. – Roumina Pablo
