Cebu Pacific Navigates Challenges with Mixed October 2025 Results
The Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) reported transporting 2.1 million passengers in October 2025, marking a slight one percent decrease compared to its performance in the same month the previous year. This period reflects the airline's strategic management of its operations amid industry-wide headwinds.
Breaking Down the October 2025 Performance
A closer look at the data reveals a contrasting picture between domestic and international routes. The airline's overall seat load factor (SLF) settled at 79.3 percent, down from 80.5 percent in October 2024, even as the total number of available seats increased by 0.6 percent.
Domestic operations saw a notable decline. The number of domestic passengers fell by 4.5 percent year-on-year. This drop occurred alongside a 6.1 percent reduction in seat capacity dedicated to domestic flights. Despite this contraction, the domestic market maintained a relatively strong seat load factor of 82.5 percent.
In stark contrast, Cebu Pacific's international segment experienced robust expansion. International passenger traffic surged by 10.7 percent compared to October 2024. To accommodate this growing demand, the airline significantly boosted international seat capacity by 22.2 percent. However, this rapid expansion led to a 7.4 percentage point decrease in the international SLF, which landed at 71.4 percent.
A Strong Year-to-Date and a Look Ahead
Zooming out to the broader performance for the first ten months of 2025, Cebu Pacific's figures are more positive. The airline has flown a cumulative total of over 22.0 million passengers from January to October 2025. This represents a substantial 12.3 percent increase from the 19.6 million passengers carried during the same period in 2024.
The breakdown of this year-to-date success shows growth across the board:
- Domestic passengers grew by 10.8 percent to 16.4 million.
- International passengers saw an even stronger increase of 17.0 percent, reaching 5.6 million.
For this period, the overall average seat load factor was a healthy 84.3 percent. The airline's overall capacity, measured in available seats, also rose by 12.5 percent to 26.1 million.
Mark Cezar, the Chief Financial Officer of Cebu Pacific, provided context for the October figures. He explained that the month "reflected our active capacity management as we navigated ongoing supply chain challenges, particularly those related to Pratt & Whitney engines, as well as weather-related disruptions." He emphasized that "Capacity growth was intentionally moderated to ensure operational resilience ahead of the peak travel season."
Cezar also offered a forward-looking statement, noting that while November faces similar challenges, the airline expects to return to double-digit capacity growth in December and January, aligning with the high-demand holiday and peak travel season.
