Skyway Airlines Aims for 10 Aircraft by 2030 to Boost Agri-Aquatic Exports

ALL-CARGO carrier Skyway Airlines, Inc. said it hopes to deploy 10 aircraft by 2030 in response to rising demand for agricultural and aquatic goods. “Our vision now is to connect the aqua-agri products of the Philippines to the world, which has not been done yet,” Vedant Bhardwaj, Skyway Airlines director for Business Development and External Affairs, told reporters last week. “It’s an ecosystem for every business to grow. Our target is 10 aircraft by 2030,” he said. Founded in 2022, Skyway Airlines is the first pure cargo airline in the Philippines. It has three Boeing 737 narrowbodies, with an average fleet age of 29.8 years. Cargo fleets tend to be serviceable for longer than passenger aircraft, which accumulate more wear and tear due to repeated takeoffs and landings in passenger service. Skyway Airlines connects the Philippines to China and Hong Kong, transporting electronics, as well as agricultural goods from Davao and General Santos City. It is looking to deploy cargo flights between Philippines and India at some point, Mr. Bhardwaj said. The company transports general cargo, specialized cargo, and dangerous goods on non-scheduled flights. It has a capacity of 18 tons per flight. The bulk of its clients are electronic commerce (e-commerce) companies due to strong demand in the Philippine market. “Inbound is mostly 60% to 70% e-commerce,” Mr. Bhardwaj said. He also noted that the rising fuel price have not affected the company’s operations. “We never stopped flying. The third aircraft is there, Now we are hoping for two more to come this year, subject to fuel prices,” Mr. Bhardwaj said. The company has instead been affected by cargo congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, he said. “Our clients were affected… By the end of July, I think it was only 20% of backlog from 60% to 70%,” Mr. Bhardwaj noted. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz