Cebu Pacific passenger targets up for review

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April 30, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s largest carrier will review its initial target of flying close to 30 million passengers this year, as it expects Filipinos to temper their spending due to rising prices.

Cebu Pacific CEO Michael Szucs said the airline is dealing with the double whammy of higher jet fuel prices and lower bookings because of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

As such, Szucs said Cebu Pacific’s management is eyeing to review the airline’s goals this year to factor in the impact of oil price shocks.

Last year, Cebu Pacific flew a record 26.9 million passengers, riding high on its fleet and network expansion. The carrier had expected to grow at the same rate as in 2025 that, if achieved, would make it reach 30 million.

“We have to review [that] because this year, a lot has changed. It is difficult to say. Last year, we were at 27 million, this year we were expecting to grow to about 30 million. We need to wait and see how that comes through,” Szucs said.

He said Filipinos are cutting back on some expenditures, so they might wait out for airfares to decline before they book another flight again.

Cebu Pacific is also reducing its flight network to save fuel, suspending a handful of domestic and international services to prioritize the high-demand ones.

Lance Gokongwei, chairman of Cebu Pacific’s parent Cebu Air Inc., said the airline is hoping for a turnaround in the Middle East situation that would pull down petroleum prices.

“The war has impacted availability and the prices of fuel. We just hope this war is resolved soon, as it is causing massive disruption to airlines and customers,” Gokongwei said.

The bright spot for Cebu Pacific is it is armed with enough resources to support operations in the midst of elevated fuel prices. In 2025, the airline’s income more than doubled to P12.3 billion, from P5.4 billion in 2024, primarily because of non-core gains.

Based on the monitor of the International Air Transport Association, jet fuel prices have slipped by seven percent to $184.63 per barrel as of April 17, but this is still far from the pre-crisis level of less than $100.

In spite of demand uncertainties, Cebu Pacific is expanding the training of aviation personnel, as it opened a new academy where it would be developing future talent.