GOKONGWEI-led Cebu Pacific has solidified its position in the domestic air travel market in the first half while remaining on track of flying 10 million passengers by the end of this year.
Data from Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showed that Cebu Pacific flew a total of 4,088,493 domestic passengers in the first half of 2010, which is 1.2 million more than erstwhile leader Philippine Airlines’ 2,882,102 domestic passengers.
The figure translates to a year-on-year growth of 13 percent for Cebu Pacific as the airline extends it dominance in the domestic air travel for almost two years.
The budget carrier even captured up to 50 percent of the domestic market share last year. It remains the number one carrier in 2010, with 48.75 percent domestic market share according to CAB.
Earlier, Singapore’s Changi Airport Group recognized Cebu Pacific as the top airline in the region after it flew around 375,000 passengers to and from Singapore last year, with a yearly increase of 57 percent.
Meantime, the 14-year-old airline is buying 22 more 180-seat Airbus 320 aircraft for delivery starting this October until 2014.
Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and distribution of Cebu Pacific, said four of these new planes are expected to arrive between October 2010 and January 2011.
“Twenty more brand-new Airbus aircraft will be delivered until 2014. We will use all these to add more frequencies, routes and flights to lower our fares even further and provide even more travel convenience to guests,” she added.
Cebu Pacific flies to 33 domestic and 16 international destinations. The airline’s Beijing service will be launched today (Sunday). (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)