Cebu Pacific Air remains the country’s lead airline with a 57 percent domestic market share in 2022, up 5 percentage points from only 52 percent in 2019.
Citing data from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Cebu Pacific flew close to 13.5 million domestic passengers last year, up 312 percent from a year earlier, indicating strong recovery in both capacity and passenger traffic.
Combined with its international operations, the airline flew over 14.8 million passengers or 335 percent more than before, equal to a 75 percent seat load performance and 14.7 percentage points higher annually.
“Higher travel demand both domestically and internationally, coupled with the easing of travel regulations drove the steep recovery for Cebu Pacific in 2022,” the Gokongwei-led airline reported.
In the fourth quarter alone, Cebu Pacific flew 4.4 million passengers, six percent higher quarter-on-quarter, for a seat load of 78 percent, up 3.6 percentage points quarter on quarter, as the holiday peak season encouraged an uptrend in travel demand for both international and domestic destinations.
“Key destinations such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, also eased their travel restrictions during the quarter, enabling the airline to accelerate the recovery of its international network. Hong Kong, one of CEB’s largest markets, also lifted its mandatory quarantine requirements in December,” the airline said.
Cebu Pacific flew over 587,000 passengers to short-haul international destinations in the fourth quarter, an increase of 97 percent compared to the third quarter.
Long-haul destinations, namely, Dubai and Sydney, likewise contributed to the growth, a 14 percent increase in passenger volume quarter-on-quarter
It reported 108,300 flights and over 19.7M seats sold and ended 2022 at 92 percent above its pre-pandemic capacity.
In 2023, Cebu Pacific is believed firmly in place for a full recovery and looks to restore 100 percent of its pre-COVID network and capacity in March, aided by its seat sale performance, a wide domestic network and reinstatement of all its international destinations.
For starters, the airline has strengthened its Clark hub by operating a combined 13 domestic and international destinations, making it the largest airline servicing northern and central Luzon.
Cebu Pacific will lease five more aircraft this year to address capacity and growing passenger demand. These are on top of 10 new Airbus NEO aircraft that will be delivered this year to expand its fleet of aircraft.
“Three of the aircraft will be used to re-start the Clark base. The two other aircraft will be used to support overall growth ambitions as CEB recovers fully from the pandemic,” Xander Lao, Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer, said.
