Taiwan's STARLUX Airlines is projecting "triple-digit" passenger growth in 2026, up from the approximately 75% increase it recorded a year earlier, as the carrier continues to expand its services in the Philippines.

"From 2025 to 2026, we achieved record growth of around 75% compared to last year," STARLUX Airlines Manager Jan Claude Angco told reporters in an interview on Thursday.

"Hopefully, we're going to get more. I mean, three-digit growth, hopefully, for this year since we're also increasing our aircraft count and upgauging our aircraft for here in the Philippine market," he added.

Mr. Angco noted that the rising fuel surcharge, which affects airfare costs, has not dampened passenger demand. The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) recently raised the airline fuel surcharge to Level 14 from Level 13 for the second half of September 2026. The CAB periodically adjusts these levels in step with jet fuel prices, and the published ranges are the maximum amounts airlines are permitted to collect.

Under Level 14, airlines may collect an additional P457 to P1,336 per passenger on domestic flights, compared with the previous rates of P423 to P1,237. For international flights, the surcharge ranges from P1,509.08 to P11,220.71, up from P1,396.74 to P10,385.42 previously.

"We thought that because of the fuel surcharge increasing, there would be fewer passengers," he said. "Luckily for STARLUX, we are somehow getting more record revenue and record passenger numbers for our flights, especially exiting here in the Philippines."

"I think it's a good sign, not only for STARLUX, but I think for other airlines also," he added.

The airline currently operates direct flights from Cebu, Clark, and Manila to its main hub at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei, from where passengers can connect to long-haul flights to the United States and Europe. That hub-and-spoke setup makes the Philippine gateways a feeder market for STARLUX's long-haul network.

"We're looking to other Philippine destinations also, flying to and from Taipei, but right now, we're sticking with Manila, Cebu, and Clark," Mr. Angco said. "Our main focus here in the Philippines is more on the long-haul market, our main target."

Separately, STARLUX will offer discounts of up to 35% on its US flight offerings at the Travel Sale Expo, scheduled for Oct. 2 to 4 at SM Megamall. The three-day event is expected to attract at least 50,000 visitors, with travel offers across 200 booths reaching discounts of up to 75%.

The coming months offer several checkpoints: the CAB's surcharge decisions for the rest of 2026, STARLUX's evaluation of additional Philippine destinations, and how its discounted US fares are received at the Oct. 2 to 4 expo.

— Almira Louise S. Martinez, BusinessWorld