CEBU Pacific on Monday said it will be adding more flights between Manila and Sydney in Australia this year as it continued to dominate the market.
“Hopefully, we can expand as soon as possible. We have been granted allocation by Philippine government to at least seven flights a week,” JR Mantaring, vice president for corporate affairs of Cebu Pacific, told reporters.
Cebu Pacific currently flies four times weekly between Manila and Sydney.
The Gokongwei-led airline also keeps its lead in the Manila-Sydney route, capturing the largest market share for both passenger and cargo services as of April 2017.
Data from Australia’s Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics showed that Cebu Pacific flew 16,441 passengers in April, or a 41.8-percent of the market share for the Manila-Sydney route, the highest among the three carriers flying the route.
This brings the total number of passengers flown by CEB to 59,953—representing a 41.7-percent market share. Its closest competitor Philippine Airlines, meanwhile, captured a 33.5 percent market share.
Load factor for CEB for the Manila-Sydney route was at an average 80 percent for the first four months of 2017.
Total passenger volume in the first four months of 2017 by all three carriers plying the Manila-Sydney route reached 143,765, up 12 percent from 128,352 passengers flown in the same period in 2016.
For cargo service between Manila and Sydney, Cebu Pacific captured a 43.8-percent market share of the total 789 tons carried in April 2017.
The airline from January to April 2017 had a 47.4-percent market share of the total 3,114 tons of cargo carried for that route. The total cargo volume in the first four months of 2017, however, is 30.6 percent, lower than 2,128 tons carried in the comparable period last year.
“The strong growth of our Manila-Sydney route bodes well for our future expansion plans in the Australian market,” Mantaring said.
Cebu Pacific ffers flights to over 60 destinations including Dubai, Tokyo, Beijing, Bali and Sydney.
The airline’s 61-strong fleet, comprised of 4 Airbus A319, 36 Airbus A320, 8 Airbus A330, 8 ATR-72 500 and 5 ATR 72-600 aircraft, is one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world.
Between 2017 and 2022, Cebu Pacific will take delivery of 7 Airbus A321ceo, 32 Airbus A321neo, and 11 ATR 72-600 aircraft.
