Strong demand lifts CEB traffic

Gokongwei-led budget carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) is ramping up capacity in response to strong travel demand, even as it continues to manage persistent engine and supply chain challenges affecting the global aviation sector.

“We remain focused on aligning capacity to meet the demand while continuing to manage the engine and supply chain challenges affecting the industry,” CEB Chief Executive Officer Mike Szucs said on Friday. 

The airline carried 2.4 million passengers in May, a 21.7 percent increase from the same month last year, supported by a 21.3 percent expansion in seat capacity. 

Seat load factor (SLF), an indicator of how efficiently airline capacity is being used, rose slightly to 86.4 percent from 86.2 percent in May 2024.

Domestic operations remained a key growth driver, with passenger traffic rising 19.9 percent year on year, on the back of a 19.7 percent increase in available seats. This pushed domestic SLF to a strong 91.0 percent. 

On the international front, passenger volume climbed 27.5 percent, aided by a 25.7 percent rise in seat capacity. SLF improved by 1.0 percentage point to 75.0 percent.

“Passenger traffic continued to see high year-on-year growth through the first five months of 2025,” Szucs said. “Seat load factor is tracking ahead of last year, reflecting robust air travel as additional capacity continues to be absorbed by demand.”

For the first five months of the year, CEB served a total of 11.7 million passengers, up 23.7 percent from 9.4 million during the same period in 2024. 

Of the total, domestic traffic accounted for 8.7 million passengers, while international travel contributed 3.0 million. Average SLF across the network stood at 85.0 percent, with total seat capacity rising 23.1 percent to 13.7 million.