Cebu Pacific posts 8.4% traffic growth in volatile Q1

MANILA, Philippines — Gokongwei-led budget carrier Cebu Pacific braved turbulent skies in the first quarter, lifting passenger traffic by 8.4 percent while continuing to flag risks from soaring jet fuel prices linked to the still-unresolved conflict in the Middle East.

In a disclosure on Wednesday, Cebu Air Inc. told the local bourse its first-quarter traffic rose to 7.54 million from 6.95 million in the same period last year.

READ: Cebu Pacific scales back int’l flights as MidEast war lifts fuel costs

Domestic passengers grew 7.9 percent to 5.59 million, while international passengers climbed 9.8 percent to 1.95 million.

At the same time, the low-cost carrier posted an 11.5-percent increase in traffic to 2.46 million in March, a period when airlines globally grappled with surging jet fuel prices following the outbreak of the Iran war on Feb. 28.

READ: Cebu Pacific profit soared 128% to P12.3B in 2025

Holiday rush

Cebu Pacific CEO Mike Szucs attributed the robust first-quarter demand to school breaks, when students and families typically fly for holidays, as well as sustained momentum from its international network.

READ: MCIA braces for summer travel rush as airlines add Cebu flights

But Szucs said the airline would adopt a more cautious stance in the next three months.

“For the second quarter, we are taking a cautious and measured approach amid a volatile fuel price environment,” he said. “We have optimized flight frequencies where appropriate, focusing on routes with stronger demand.” /dda