Domestic cargo handled by Philippine carriers grew 2.5% in 2019 to 331.482 million kilograms (kg), up from 323.384 million kg carried in 2018, data from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showed.
Cebu Pacific remained the highest contributor to the total, accounting for 44.8% or 148.562 million kg, 1.6% up from the 146.231 million kg it handled in 2018.
PAL Express also maintained its place in second with 26% or 86.700 million kg, a slight 0.6% decline from the 87.255 million kg it handled in 2018.
Again in third place was Philippine Airlines (PAL) with 16.6% or 54.878 million kg. This is 3.2% higher than the 53.193 million kg it airlifted in 2018.
Remaining in fourth place was AirAsia Philippines with 9.9% or 32.853 million kg. The low-cost carrier recorded the biggest increase of 18.6% from the 27.702 million kg it serviced in 2018.
Cebgo, sister airline of Cebu Pacific, was still in fifth place, accounting for 1% of the total or 3.621 million kg, a 9.2% decrease from the 3.989 million kg it handled in 2018.
Leisure airline Seair International, which was also 2019’s sixth placer, airlifted 0.75% of the total or 2.487 million kg. This is 5.3% lower than the 2.628 million kg handled in 2018.
Leisure airline Magnum (Skyjet) Air was still in seventh place with 1.114 million kg, down 13.3% from the 1.284 million kg it carried in 2018.
Boutique airline AirSwift also recorded a decline of 14.6% to 649,433 kg from 2018’s volume of 760,381 kg to remain in eighth place.
Charter airline Island Aviation Corp., which started cargo operations in the third quarter of 2019, placed ninth with 520,033 kg.
Posting the highest drop in volumes was charter airline and seaplane operator Air Juan Aviation, Inc., which carried 98,083 kg in 2019, a decrement of 71.3% from the 341,550 kg it carried in 2018. – Roumina Pablo
