Manila: Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) reported transporting 2.1 million passengers in October, reflecting a 1 percent decrease compared to the corresponding month in 2024. The airline's seat load factor (SLF) for October was 79.3 percent, slightly lower than the previous year's 80.5 percent.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Gokongwei-led airline experienced a 4.5 percent decline in domestic passengers year-on-year, attributed to a 6.1 percent reduction in seat availability, which resulted in a domestic SLF of 82.5 percent. Conversely, international passenger traffic showed an increase of 10.7 percent year-on-year, with a 22.2 percent rise in seat capacity.

CEB's chief financial officer Mark Cezar highlighted the airline's active capacity management amidst ongoing challenges, including supply chain issues related to Pratt and Whitney engines and weather-related disruptions. Cezar noted that capacity growth was deliberately moderated to maintain operational resilience in anticipation of the peak travel season.

Cezar further mentioned that November would face similar challenges and moderation, but the airline plans to return to double-digit capacity growth in December and January. Over the past 10 months, CEB has flown over 22 million passengers, marking a 12.3-percent increase from 19.6 million in 2024. Domestic passenger numbers rose by 10.8 percent to 16.4 million, while international passengers grew by 17 percent to 5.6 million.