Cebu Pacific (CEB) has captured 57 percent of the domestic market in 2022, up 5 percentage points from its 52 percent market share in pre-pandemic year 2019, Civil Aeronautics Board data showed.
CEB has strengthened its lead in the domestic market having flown close to 13.5 million domestic passengers in 2022, up 312 percent from the previous year, indicating a strong recovery in both capacity and passenger traffic.
Combined with its international operations, CEB flew over 14.8 million passengers last year, 335 percent higher year-on-year, for a seat load of 75 percent, which rose 14.7 percentage points year-on-year.
Higher domestic and international travel demand, coupled with the easing of various travel regulations, drove the steep recovery for CEB in 2022.
For 2023, CEB said it is firmly in place for a full recovery and it expects to restore 100 percent of its pre-pandemic network and capacity in March, aided by its seat sales, widest domestic network and the reinstatement of all its international destinations.
CEB added it has strengthened its Clark hub by operating a combined 13 domestic and international destinations from Clark International Airport, making it the largest airline servicing northern and central Luzon.
CEB will lease five aircraft in 2023 to address capacity and growing passenger demand.
These are on top of the 10 new Airbus NEO aircraft that will be delivered in 2023 to expand the airline’s entire fleet.
“Three of the aircraft will be used to restart the Clark base. The two other aircraft will be used to support overall growth ambitions as CEB recovers fully from the pandemic,” said Xander Lao, CEB president and chief commercial officer.
In the fourth quarter of 2022, CEB flew 4.4 million passengers, 6 percent higher quarter-on-quarter, for a seat load of 78 percent, up 3.6 percentage points quarter-on-quarter, as the holiday peak season encouraged a further uptrend in travel demand for both domestic and international destinations.
Key destinations such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan also eased their travel restrictions during the quarter, enabling the airline to accelerate the recovery of its international network, CEB said.
Hong Kong, one of CEB’s largest markets, also lifted its mandatory quarantine requirements in December.
CEB flew over 108,300 flights and over 19.7 million seats in 2022, ending the year at 92 percent of its pre-pandemic capacity. – Myla Iglesias
