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Cargo volume handled by domestic airlines dropped 54% in the first nine months of 2020 due to cancelled flights amid travel restrictions in the wake of COVID-19
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Civil Aeronautics Board data showed the biggest quarterly decline was recorded in the second quarter
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Volumes fell 15.8% in the first quarter, 87% in the second quarter, and 62% in the third quarter
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Most airlines recorded a decline, except Cebgo, Seair International, and Island Aviation
Cargo volume handled by domestic airlines dropped 54% to 108.8 million kilograms (kg) in the first nine months of 2020 from 239.1 million kg in the same period last year due to cancellation of flights amid travel restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Data from the Civil Aeronautics Board showed the biggest quarterly decline was recorded in the second quarter when stricter quarantines were implemented in the country and flights were very limited.
READ: COVID slashes PH airlines’ 1H cargo volume by 50%
Volumes fell 15.8% in the first quarter to 66.0 million kg from 78.4 million kg in the same quarter last year. In the second quarter, volume plummeted by 87% to only 9.5 million kg from 72.9 million kg in the same period last year. A lower decline of 62% was posted in the third quarter with 33.4 million kg from 87.8 million kg last year.
Airlines started suspending their domestic and international flights mid-March this year as travel restrictions were imposed locally and internationally to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
A limited number of flights resumed when quarantine restrictions were eased in June and airlines have been gradually increasing operations since, subject to national and local government guidelines and protocols.
Philippine Multimodal Transport and Logistics Association, Inc. president Marilyn Alberto earlier noted, however, that while cargo capacity has been increasing, it is still not enough to handle the demand for airfreight. She said shippers have been utilizing a significant number of charter flights, freighter flights, and “preighters,” or passenger aircraft used as freighters.
Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific still carried the biggest air cargo volume during the first nine months of the year with 51.9 million kg, 48% of the total. It was, however, 52.3% lower than the 108.8 million kg the carrier handled in the same period in 2019.
PAL Express, which also remained in second place accounting for 19% of the total, handled 20.7 million kg, 67% lower than the 62.3 million kg recorded last year.
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines likewise was still in third place with 18.9 million kg, which was 17% of the total and 51% down from the 38.5 million kg it carried in the first nine months of 2019.
Also still in fourth place was AirAsia Philippines with 8.8% or 9.5 million kg, a contraction of 59% from 23.3 million last year.
Cebgo, on the other hand, posted a 43.5% increase in cargo volume handled to 4.0 million kg from 2.8 million kg. The carrier, which accounted for 3.6% of the total, operates its sister airline Cebu Pacific’s dedicated freighter service launched in the second half of last year. Cebu Pacific earlier said it had continued to operate all-cargo flights even during the community quarantine period.
Leisure airline Seair International, which is still in sixth place with 2.2% of the total, also recorded a 37% growth in cargo volume handled to 2.4 million kg in the first nine months of 2020 from 1.8 million kg in the same period in 2019.
Astro Air International Inc., now known as Pan Pacific Airlines started handling cargoes in the second quarter of 2020 and placed seventh with 737,041 kg or 0.7% of the total.
Charter airline Island Aviation Corp., which started cargo operations in the third quarter of 2019, saw a 15.3% increase in cargoes handled to 325,058 kg from 281,874 last year.
Cargo volume carried by leisure airline Magnum (Skyjet) Air plunged 63.7% to 275,558 kg from 759,415 kg.
Boutique airline AirSwift handled 77.4% less cargoes in the first three quarter of the year, reporting 107,421 kg from 475,204 kg in the same period last year.
Posting the biggest drop of 98% was charter airline and seaplane operator AirJuan Aviation, Inc., which carried 1,782 kg from 94,260 kg last year. AirJuan handled cargoes only in the first quarter of 2020. – Roumina Pablo
