Cebu Air says passenger volume up 9% in 2015
CEBU AIR, Inc. met its target for 2015 passenger volume after full-year figures grew by almost a tenth, propelled by its long-haul flights and increased frequencies.
“Cebu Pacific flew 18.4 million passengers in 2015, an increase of 9% from 16.9 million passengers flown in 2014,” the Gokongweiled budget carrier said in a statement yesterday.
The budget carrier had targeted to ferry “at least 18 million passengers” in 2015, Cebu Air President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Y. Gokongwei said in June 2015.
“Growth in passenger volume was largely driven by the airline’s low-cost long-haul services, and increased frequencies in key domestic markets,” Cebu Pacific Vice- President for Corporate Affairs Paterno S. Mantaring, Jr. said.
“CEB also posted notable passenger growth in international destinations such as Hong Kong, Tokyo ( Narita) and Nagoya in Japan, and Beijing and Shanghai in China.” CEB is the company’s ticker symbol at the Philippine Stock Exchange.
On average, Cebu Air’s flights were 83% full during the period.
The number of passengers flown on its long- haul routes jumped by 146% year-on-year, on the back of “increased presence” in Australia and the Middle East.
The airline carried over 150,000 passengers between Manila and Sydney in 2015, allowing it to keep its position as the “largest carrier” between the two routes.
“[P]assenger growth on flights to and from the Middle East remained robust, driven by sustained capacity between Manila and Riyadh, Kuwait, and Dubai, and the launch of Manila-Doha in June 2015,” it added.
Among its Middle East routes, flights between Manila and Dubai saw the highest number of passengers, with more than 230,000 guests.
Cebu Air noted passengers flown to short haul international destinations, Hong Kong, Japan and China, also went up.
“Passenger volume to and from Japan, in particular, grew by 39% to over 280,000 in 2015 as CEB successfully stimulated traffic with the launch of its operations from Manila and Cebu to Tokyo (Narita), and Manila to Nagoya,” it added.
The Gokongwei- led carrier also mounted flights between Manila and Fukuoka, its fourth destination in Japan, in December 2015.
In the Philippines, Cebu Air said the volume of domestic passengers inched up by 7.41% in 2015, after adding frequencies between Manila and Tagbilaran, and Cebu and Tandag in Surigao del Sur. Both routes more than doubled their passenger volume in 2015.
Cebu Air, which flies to 64 destinations in Asia, Australia, and the Middle East, is planning to launch direct flights between Manila and Guam, its first US destination, on March 15 this year.
“We will target more than 19 million this year, Mr. Gokongwei said on Jan. 8.
The company’s fleet is composed of eight Airbus A319, 35 Airbus A320, six Airbus A330, and eight ATR 72- 500 aircraft. Between 2016 and 2021, it expects delivery of three more brand-new Airbus A320, 30 Airbus A321neo, and 16 ATR 72-600 aircraft.
Shares in Cebu Pacific shed P2.05 or 2.64% to close at P75.50 apiece. —