Cebu Pacific takes ‘cautious, measured’ approach for Q2 2026

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific on Wednesday said it is taking a “cautious and measured” approach for the second quarter of 2026 amid volatile global fuel prices, following an 11.5% year-on-year increase in passengers in the first quarter.

“We have optimized flight frequencies where appropriate, focusing on routes with strong demand,” Cebu Pacific Chief Executive Officer Mike Szucs said in a regulatory filing.

“Importantly, we remain committed to our core mission of connecting Filipinos by providing affordable, convenient, and reliable service. With a strong financial foundation and a resilient operating model, Cebu Pacific is well-positioned to navigate this environment,” he added.

Last month, Cebu Pacific announced route suspensions and frequency reductions effective this month, citing the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on global fuel prices.

The carrier flew 2.463 million passengers in March, up 11.5% from 2.209 million a year earlier. Of the total, 1.850 million were domestic passengers, while 613,000 were international.

This brought the airline’s seat load factor up by 0.7 percentage point to 82.1% from 81.4%, while seat capacity rose 10.6% to 3 million from 2.713 million.

“We saw strong demand growth in March and throughout the first quarter, supported by the start of school breaks and sustained momentum in our international segment," Szucs said.

"Load factors remained healthy across the network, reflecting disciplined capacity management,” he added.

Cebu Air Inc., the parent company of Cebu Pacific, earlier reported a 128% increase in net income to P12.3 billion in 2025, as revenues rose 14% to P119.9 billion after carrying 26.9 million passengers, up 10% from 2024.

Global oil prices remain volatile amid tensions in the Middle East. Over the weekend, US President Donald Trump said the US Navy would immediately blockade the Strait of Hormuz after talks with Tehran failed to reach a deal to end the conflict.

Earlier, Trump had agreed to a ceasefire with Iran, subject to Tehran’s commitment to pause its blockade of oil and gas shipments through the strait.—MCG, GMA News