Cebu Pacific adds 3 aircraft in Q1

MANILA, Philippines — Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific has received another aircraft, its third for the year, leaving the airline with 14 more to accept for the rest of 2024 as it fortifies its fleet in the face of supply issues.

Cebu Pacific is closing the first quarter with three new aircraft as it welcomed a brand new Airbus A321neo last week, raising the number of airliners it can deploy to serve travelers.

The A321neo—the first of its kind received this year—used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in its transfer from Hamburg, Germany to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

So far, Cebu Pacific has received three of the 17 aircraft that it expects to get within the year. The airline will deploy its new units to select routes where demand is on the rise.

For 2024, Cebu Pacific hopes to expand its fleet to a total of 92 aircraft. However, it estimates that 20 of them will be grounded to make way for the repair of their jet engines.

The Gokongwei-led carrier operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, and looks to maintain the most sustainable as well in the Philippines.

For instance, the A321neo flown from Hamburg was brought to the Philippines with SAF, a kind of fuel that trims carbon emissions of up to 80 percent across its life cycle.

Further, Cebu Pacific is poised to transition to an all-neo fleet by 2028, meaning its network will be made up of Airbus jets that burn 15 percent less fuel compared to previous generations.

Broken down, Cebu Pacific manages a fleet of eight A330s, 36 A320s, 20 A321s, as well as 14 turboprops. With this fleet, the airline offers travelers with the widest network of domestic flights among Philippine carriers.

Cebu Pacific requires as many aircraft as it can get to lessen the impact of its fleet gap this year. The operator is one of the dozens of airlines hit by a recall issued by engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, leaving it with no choice but to operate on an injured fleet.

For 2024, Cebu Pacific wants to increase its flight volume to popular routes like Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo, and also seeks to resume Manila flights to Beijing before the end of the year.

Right now, the airline flies 35 domestic routes and 25 foreign destinations, reaching as far as Asia, Australia and the Middle East.