CEBU PACIFIC Air on Sunday said it flew 65,298 passengers on May 7, breaking its own record for the most number of passengers flown in a one day.
In a statement, the Gokongwei-led budget carrier said the passengers were ferried in 395 flights on May 7. Majority of the passengers were flown on 302 Cebu Pacific flights, while the rest were on 93 Cebgo flights.
Cebu Pacific said its previous record stood at 64,684 passengers flown on Dec. 27, 2016.
“As summer peak season reaches full swing, we are seeing more tourists going on vacation. The growth in the Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector is also driving passenger traffic,” Cebu Pacific Vice President for Corporate Affairs Paterno S. Mantaring, Jr. was quoted as saying.
The budget carrier operates flights out of seven hubs, namely Manila, Clark, Iloilo, Kalibo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro (Laguindingan) and Davao.
Cebu Air, Inc., the listed operator of Cebu Pacific, reported its net income grew 12% to P1.437 billion during the first three months of 2018 due to an increase in passenger revenues.
Cebu Pacific flew 4.9 million passengers during the January to March period, 1.3% higher than the same period last year.
“The launch of direct service from Manila to Siargao and Batanes contributed to the sustained growth in CEB (Cebu Pacific) passenger volume, coupled with double-digit growth in CEB short-haul international routes, particularly Bali, Nagoya, Narita, Incheon, Xiamen and Bangkok,” the company said.
It aims to fly a total of 22 million passengers by the end of the year. — Denise A. Valdez
