Cebu Pacific, the country’s biggest budget carrier, launched its inaugural flight to Seoul, South Korea on July 4.
Cebu Pacific undertook the flight using a newly acquired Airbus A330 aircraft suited to long-haul flights, the carrier said in a statement Friday.
The company obtained the A330 last June 15. Apart from Seoul, the aircraft will also be utilized on a flight from Manila to Singapore on July 8. It will start the daily Manila-Dubai service on Oct. 7.
Also, Cebu Pacific recently took delivery of its 45th aircraft, a Sharklet-equipped Airbus A320, from Toulouse, France. Cebu Pacific is the only Philippine operator of Airbus aircraft with Sharklets—a specialized technology that allows airlines to save up to 4 percent on fuel burn. This is Cebu Pacific’s third Sharklet-equipped Airbus A320 delivery for 2013, the statement showed.
The airline expects delivery of 16 more Airbus A320 aircraft with Sharklets, 30 Airbus A321neo and 3 Airbus A330 aircraft from 2013 until 2021, it added.
“These highly efficient, state-of-the-art aircraft will allow us to continue offering [our] trademark lowest fares to our passengers, as they travel to, from and within the Philippines,” said Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and distribution. “We look forward to taking delivery of more aircraft, equipped with the most modern, best in class technology, for the benefit of our guests.” Miguel R. Camus