Boutique airline Sunlight Air has decided to shelve its plans for international expansion to focus on stabilizing its current operations amid a continuing fuel crisis.
“We have veered away from our previous plans. Right now, it’s really all about getting through this crisis,” Sunlight Air Chief Executive Officer Ryna Brito-Garcia said in an interview last week.
Brito-Garcia had previously indicated that the carrier was considering acquiring narrowbody aircraft to launch overseas flights as early as 2027. However, surging jet fuel prices driven by conflict in the Middle East have forced the airline to shift its focus away from international growth.
“The most important thing right now is just sustainability for us, to stay in the industry for as long as we can and hold on as long as we can,” Brito-Garcia stated.
To manage operating costs, the airline previously cut flight frequencies on select routes. Brito-Garcia noted that the carrier is working to restore normal flight schedules by December to accommodate holiday travel demand.
Operating hubs in Clark and Cebu, Sunlight Air connects passengers to key island destinations such as Siargao, Coron, Boracay, Siquijor, and Tablas. Despite high fuel costs impacting consumer spending, the airline has maintained a healthy load factor of 75 to 80 percent.
“We’re able to maintain a healthy load factor [but] I’m not expecting it to improve in the next year or two because foreign exchange will just keep going up, supply chain will still be a challenge for all of us,” Brito-Garcia explained.
Civil Aeronautics Board data reveals that Sunlight Air transported 92,846 passengers during the first half of the year, reflecting a 4 percent drop from 96,728 passengers during the same period last year. The airline initially targeted a 20 to 30 percent passenger growth rate this year, building on its record 167,252 passengers from the previous year.
Looking ahead, Sunlight Air plans to boost frequencies on its top-performing routes—including doubling its Clark-Coron service—and explore new inter-island connections such as Boracay-Coron flights.
Additionally, the airline is transitioning its fleet from ATR 72-500s to newer ATR 72-600 models, which seat up to 68 passengers.