Cebu Pacific offers P10 one-way air fare

Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific (CEB) will offer a one-way fare worth only P10 to any of its domestic destinations starting today to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Company officials said passengers have only until March 8 (or until seats last) to buy their tickets for travel from June 20 to Oct. 18. There are more than 100,000 seats available for the anniversary seat sale.

The P10 one-way fare is exclusive of taxes and surcharges and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Bong Mojica, CEB general manager, said the offer marks another first in the local aviation industry.

"Never before has an airline offered fares this low. Ten years ago, CEB introduced low fares in the market and allowed more Filipinos to fly. Today, we are casting an even wider net and lowering our fares even further to encourage more first-time flyers to take CEB and for those who are already flying, to fly more," he said.

The P10 fare for CEB’s 10th anniversary seat sale can be booked and ticketed through its website www.cebupacificair.com. This is also available through the new CEB reservations office or CEB ticket offices and accredited travel agents.

"For the best availability of these P10 fares, we suggest you go online and visit our website. We always encourage people to plan ahead in order to get the lowest fares. And now, with our 10th anniversary seat sale together with our year-round ‘Go’ fares, planning ahead becomes even more rewarding," Mojica said.

CEB pioneered low fares in the country. It also introduced travelers to on-time service, e-ticketing, and online booking.

CEB, the Philippines’ second-largest carrier, registered a slight loss last year due largely to higher fuel cost, which went up last year by as much as P600 to P700 million.

Because of soaring fuel expenses, CEB has acquired new and more fuel-efficient aircrafts that are expected to bring down fuel cost beginning this year.

From January to September last year, Cebu Pacific posted a net loss of P77.3 million, compared to a profit of P418.4 million in the same period in 2004.

But CEB president and CEO Lance Gokongwei expects earnings should improve this year after the airline introduced a new fleet and offered discounted rates to boost passenger traffic. "We are aiming to be profitable this year," he said.

For January and February this year, traffic has been growing by 15 to 18 percent, and based on forward bookings, the number of passengers can grow by 18 to 20 percent, Gokongwei said. The revenue growth, however, will be lower than 18 to 20 percent because of the differences in ticket prices.

CEB earlier embarked on an ambitious refleeting program. As of Dec. last year, the company had six new aircrafts. "We will have six more between June and Sept. this year," Gokongwei revealed. Two more will be delivered before Feb. 2007 to complete the program that will make CEB’s fleet the youngest in the region.

As the new planes come in, CEB will be adding more flights to and from Korea and Japan and serve new domestic and international destinations, such as China.