Hanoi (VNA) – The Philippine aviation sector posted the fastest growth in Southeast Asia in April despite the fuel price shock, according to data from aviation analytics firm OAG.
The Philippines emerged as the region’s third-largest aviation market in terms of seat capacity, with 5.82 million seats in April 2026, behind Indonesia with 10.31 million seats and Thailand with 7.9 million seats.
Notably, the country recorded the strongest growth in capacity, adding 687,000 seats, up 13.4% year-on-year. In the domestic market, the Philippines also led the region with a 16% increase to 4.15 million seats, bucking the broader downward trend.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport remained one of the busiest aviation gateways in the region, handling 2.91 million departing passengers in April, ranking fifth in Southeast Asia. Singapore’s Changi Airport topped the list with 3.49 million passengers, followed by airports in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Jakarta.
Among airlines, AirAsia maintained its lead in regional seat capacity with 2.8 million seats, despite a slight decline. Cebu Pacific ranked second with 2.64 million seats, followed by Thai AirAsia with 2.18 million seats.
Amid AirAsia’s restructuring efforts and weakening demand in some markets, Cebu Pacific accelerated capacity expansion, increasing seat capacity by 20% in April – the second-fastest growth rate among major regional carriers. However, Cebu Pacific CEO Michael Szucs said the airline may need to revise its target of carrying nearly 30 million passengers this year as consumers cut back on non-essential spending amid inflationary pressures.
Airlines also continue to face pressure from rising jet fuel prices, with jet fuel reaching 181.22 USD per barrel as of May 1, driving up operating costs across the industry.
Despite these challenges, data showed that the Philippine aviation sector has maintained strong growth momentum in the region, reflecting robust domestic travel demand and airlines’ adaptability to economic volatility./.
