The Philippines’ largest airline, Cebu Pacific, and its wholly owned subsidiary Cebgo, generated a net income of eight billion peso from January to June 2016, a substantial increase from the five billion peso earned in the same period last year.

The Cebu Pacific Air group’s first half 2016 revenues surged to 33 billion peso, a growth of 12 per cent year-on-year.

Passenger revenues climbed by 11 per cent to 25 billion peso, after CEB carried over ten million passengers for the first half of 2016.

Cargo revenues also went up by six per cent to 2 billion peso.

Likewise, ancillary revenues soared by 20 per cent to six billion peso consequent to the nine per cent growth in passenger traffic and 10 per cent increase in average ancillary revenue per passenger.

Improved online bookings, together with a wider range of ancillary revenue products and services, contributed to the increase.

“Our strong operating and financial performance attest to the ever growing number of air travellers and communities we serve, via approximately 2,400 weekly flights out of CEB’s six strategic hubs nationwide.

“We are optimistic that with the support of relevant government and airport authorities, we can continue contributing to the progression of air transport services in the country,” said JR Mantaring, CEB vice president for corporate affairs.

CEB recently announced three new domestic routes out of Cebu, to cater to the increasing inter-island travel demand in the Visayas region.

Beginning November 19th, 2016, the airline will be operating daily flights between Cebu and Ormoc (Leyte) and Cebu and Roxas (Capiz); and four times weekly flights between Cebu and Calbayog (Samar).