CX still the country's biggest foreign carrier

As international passenger traffic grew 9.7%

March 27, 2012

Cathay Pacific (CX) remained the country's biggest foreign-based carrier carrying 1,377,184 passengers in 2011, data from Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showed.

The Hong Kong-based carrier flies six (6) times a day to Manila and daily flights to Cebu using wide body aircraft into the country.

Singapore Airlines which flew four (4) flights daily is still in the second spot with 640,835 followed by Korean Air, 565,617; Emirates Air, 556,406; and Asiana Airlines, at 536,326.

The next five are Etihad Airways 464,856; Qatar Airways, 444,901; Delta Airlines, 364,101; Saudi Arabian Airlines, 332,634; and China Airlines, 263,413.

Jetstar Asia Airways carried 261,690; Gulf Air, 248,882; Japan Airlines, 229,390; Thai Airways, 222,021; and Qantas at 219,376.

Meanwhile, incoming international passengers went up by 9.5 percent from 7,065,927 to 7,737,327. Fueled by cheap air fares, international passenger traffic flow to the Philippines rose by 9.7 percent in 2011. There were more departures out of the country from OFW traffic when outgoing passengers went up from 7,217,178 to 7,930,719, equivalent to 9.9 percent growth.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) registered the highest number of international passenger flown with 3,905,728 last year. The airline's incoming passenger traffic stood at 1,928,999, while outgoing passenger traffic reached 1,976,729.

PAL was followed by Cebu Pacific registering 2,462,574 international passengers with incoming passengers at 1,209,000 and outgoing passengers at 1,253,574.

Zest Airways flew 223,010 international passengers, Seair 210,670 and Airphil Express 151,051.