PH air travel rebounded in 2023 – CAB

THE Philippine air travel industry recorded a significant rebound in 2023, with passenger numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

Data from the CAB showed that domestic passenger traffic reached 28.96 million, up 28 percent from 22.50 million domestic passengers in 2022.

Cebu Pacific remained the country’s leading domestic passengers with 12.86 million last year, higher than the 11.39 million in 2022.

This was followed by PAL Express with 7.77 million domestic passengers, AirAsia Philippines with 4.8 million domestic passengers, Cebgo with 2.24 million domestic passengers and Philippine Airlines (PAL) flying 734,249 domestic passengers.

In addition, AirSwift Transport Inc. carried 350,458 domestic passengers and Royal Air Charter Services Inc. with 104,473 domestic passengers.

International passenger traffic, meanwhile, reached 21.21 million last year, higher than the 9.83 million international passengers in 2022.

Of the total, domestic airlines carried 9.75 million international passengers, while foreign carriers flew 11.46 million passengers.

PAL carried the most international passengers with 5.52 million, followed by Cebu Pacific with 2.98 million passengers, AirAsia Philippines with 1.14 million passengers; and Royal Air Charter Service ferried 94,205 passengers.

Meanwhile, domestic cargo traffic reached 237.53 million kilograms (kg) last year, up from 195.19 million kg in 2022.

Cebu Pacific carried 92.01 million kg of cargo, followed by PAL Express with 85.01 million kg, Air Asia Philippines with 26.29 million kg, PAL with 24.59 million kg; and Cebgo transporting 1.64 million kg.