According to the Civil Aeronautics Board,

• Cebu Pacific Airlines carried 2.57 million passengers in 2008, compared with 2.26 million in 2007
• Philippine Airlines (PAL) hauled off 2.25 million people in 2008 versus 1.98 million in 2007
• Asian Spirit flew 250,000 travellers in 2008 and 248,000 in 2007
• Air Philippines took 623,000 in 2008 and 544,000 in 2007
• Last, and yes, least, new player South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) was taken by 138,000 people in 2008 versus 136,000 in 2007

It doesn’t look like the Philippines is suffering any economic recession by the look of these numbers, but CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla says that peak travel is masking the slow growth. Air travel growth of the Philippines is supposed to be 5 to 7 percent yearly, but the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is forecasting a growth of only 2 percent this year, and a decline of 3 percent in 2009.

Real the full Inquirer report here. (And I’m off to find some ball lock pins.)

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