|
The Civil Aeronautics Board said the international
passenger traffic flow last year grew more than a tenth owing to the
rising number of foreign tourists and Filipinos working abroad
visiting the country.
Data from CAB showed that
international passenger traffic of 35 airline companies operating in
the Philippines rose 10.85 percent to 11.23 million last year
compared with 10.13 million passengers in 2006.
Of the total, incoming passengers
went up 11.72 percent to 5.43 million, while outgoing passengers
stood at 5.80 million, 10.26 percent higher than in the previous
year.
The country’s flag carrier
Philippine Airlines registered the highest number of international
passengers, which reached 3.38 million last year from 3.055 million
in 2006. PAL’s incoming passengers traffic reached 1.60 million
and outgoing, 1.77 million.
Cebu Pacific, on the other hand,
flew in and out 1.02 million passengers, 142.85 percent higher than
429,522 in 2006. Of the total, incoming passengers stood at 499,950
and outgoing, 527,094.
Asian Spirits’ international
passengers rose 35.58 percent to 8,052 passengers last year from
5,810 passengers in 2006.
Other airline companies with
higher number of passengers are Cathay Pacific Airways, 1.33
million; Singapore Airlines, 537,362; Northwest Airlines, 497,916;
Emirates Air, 448,481; Japan Airlines, 435,429; Korean Air, 414,319;
Thai Airways, 344,703 passengers, and Qatar Airways, 329,077
passengers.
Last year, the Philippines
attracted 3.08 million foreign visitors, higher in number than the
2.843-million tourist arrivals in 2006.
The CAB earlier reported that
domestic air travel in 2007 flew 10.38 million passengers, up 22.7
percent from 8.46 million passengers in 2006.
The Philippines’ five major
carriers’ seat capacity jumped 14.6 percent to 13.33 million last
year from 11.61 million in 2006.
Domestic load factor, on the
other hand, rose to 78 percent in 2007 from 73 percent in the
previous year. An increase in load factor reflects a steady growth
in passenger demand.
Budget airline Cebu Pacific was
the leading domestic carrier last year as it carried a total of 4.45
million passengers, compared with rival Philippine Airlines’ 4.03
million.
The Gokongwei-owned budget
carrier registered an 83 percent load factor higher than PAL’s 79
percent.
--Darwin G. Amojelar
|
