Sea travel still cheapest mode despite low-cost air fare offers

CEBU, Philippines - Sea travel remains to be the cheapest mode of transport in the Philippines today despite the cheap fares offered by budget airlines, an industry executive believes.

Chester Cokaliong, founder and chief executive officer of Cebu-based Cokaliong Shipping Lines Inc., said the boom in the air travel industry does not threaten the shipping industry, saying that passenger vessels still have bigger capacities compared to airplanes.

"Our capacity would reach 700-800. Airlines have [more or less] 100 [in seat capacity]," Cokaliong said in a recent interview.

The businessman said passenger ships usually experience full capacity especially during travel seasons such as Christmas and summer.

"Philippines is an archipelago country. We are composed of islands. So shipping is still the cheapest mode of transportation," Cokaliong.

Cheap

The CEO said that "budgeted" people which make up a large part of the Filipino population would still prefer sea travel as it is still way cheaper compared to air transport.

For instance, he cited that travelling by air would cost a person P200 for terminal fee at the airport.

On the other hand, he said travelling by sea would only require P10 in terminal fee at the seaport.

"If budgeted people ka, barko gyud ka," he noted.

'Remains bright'

Cokaliong believes the inter-island shipping business remains bright despite the presence of low-cost carriers.

Sea transport is expected to continue to be one of the primary means of inter-island transport in the Philippines.

Although recent years have also seen an increasing number of passengers availing themselves of the so-called budget flights being offered by low-cost airlines.  (FREEMAN)