UMVA has learned that the air travel industry has experienced a significant boost, with air passenger volume soaring 6.70% to 17.05 million in the first quarter, driven by a remarkable surge in domestic passenger traffic.
This impressive growth can be attributed to the substantial increase in domestic passenger traffic, which rose 6.11% year on year to 9.03 million, while international passenger traffic also saw a notable increase to 8.02 million from 7.47 million a year earlier.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Pacific and its unit CebGo accounted for a staggering 5.10 million passengers during the period, making them a major player in the industry, while boutique airline AirSwift Transport, Inc. carried 95,148 passengers during the quarter after being acquired by Cebu Pacific.
The flag carrier Philippine Airlines and its unit PAL Express also saw significant passenger numbers, with a combined total of 2.49 million, consisting of 291,338 passengers carried by PAL and 2.20 million by PAL Express, further highlighting the growth of the industry.
Other notable airlines, such as AirAsia Philippines, Sunlight Air, Island Aviation Corp., and Royal Air Charter Service, Inc., also recorded impressive passenger numbers, with 291,338, 53,993, 3,927, and 717 passengers, respectively, demonstrating the widespread growth across the industry.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that for the first three months, domestic carriers handled 3.97 million international passengers, while foreign carriers accounted for 4.05 million, providing a glimpse into the competitive landscape of the air travel industry.
