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Air cargo handled by domestic airlines grew 23% year-on-year in the first half of 2023
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Domestic air cargo volume reached 109.815 million kg compared to 89.257 million kg in the same period last year
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Of the nine local airlines under review, five reported increases, three saw declines, and one had no comparative figure
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Cebu Pacific continued to handle the most volume, with a share of 36.7% to the total
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PAL Express volumes surged 164% from 13.706 million kg
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Cebu Pacific’s sister carrier Cebgo registered the biggest drop in volume of 54% to 791,113 kg
Air cargo handled by domestic airlines grew 23% year-on-year in the first half of 2023, according to preliminary data from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).
From January to June 2023, volume reached 109.815 million kilograms from the 89.257 million kg in the same period last year. The growth is presumably a result of the complete easing of travel restrictions due to the COVD-19 pandemic and the subsequent resumption of economic activities.
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Of the nine local airlines in CAB’s list, five carriers reported increases, three saw declines, and one did not submit comparative figures.
Still accounting for the biggest share (36.7%) of the first half total volume was Cebu Pacific with 40.293 million kg, 9% higher than the 36.977 million kg it handled in the first half of 2022.
In second place was PAL Express, with a share of 32.9% or 36.171 million kg, a 164% surge from 13.706 million kg in the first half of last year.
PALEx’s sister airline, Philippine Airlines, on the other hand, recorded a different outcome, suffering a 34% decline to 15.59 million kg from 23.664 million kg. It was at third place in the CAB list with a share of 14.2% to the total.
Ranking fourth was AirAsia Philippines, cornering 11.9% or 13.067 million kg of the total. The latest volume grew 30.8% from 9.988 million kg in the first half of 2022.
Boutique airline AirSwift Transport, Inc., which placed fifth with a 1.9% share, saw the biggest improvement with a 185% increase to 2.129 million kg from 746,037 kg.
Leisure airline Seair International, Inc. ranked sixth with a share of 1% or 1.142 million kg, down 26.7% from 1.557 million kg year-on-year.
Cebu Pacific’s sister carrier Cebgo, which placed seventh with a 0.7% share, registered the biggest drop in volume of 54% to 791,113 kg from 1.73 million kg.
Ranking ninth was charter airline Island Aviation Corp. with a 0.5% or 594,563 kg, up 32% from 449,590 kg in the first half of last year.
Lastly, boutique charter airline Sunlight Express Airways, which began operations in 2020, handled 37,999 kg in the first half of the year. No comparative figure was available for the first half of last year.
