Cebu Pacific beefs up ground support equipment
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Ahead of the seasonal travel pickup during summer, Cebu Pacific is beefing up its ground support equipment across Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) and other domestic hubs to improve operations.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Gokongwei-led airline said it had acquired high-capacity tow tractors, mobile passenger steps, boarding ramps, deck loaders, catering trucks and electric baggage tractors.
The budget carrier said the ground fleet would improve aircraft turnaround times and operational efficiency.
In particular, the equipment will be used for baggage and cargo handling, passenger boarding and maintenance support.
“As we continue to expand our operations, it is important that we also invest in the right equipment to maintain operational reliability,” Cebu Pacific vice president for customer service operations Lei Apostol said.
“These new assets reflect our commitment to providing safe, reliable and seamless travel experiences for our passengers,” she added.
Rosy outlook
This year, Cebu Pacific aims to increase its passenger volume by about 20 percent across all hubs after servicing 24.5 million guests in 2024.
The budget carrier has positioned itself for growth after launching 24 new domestic and international routes in the past year.
To boost passenger capacity, Cebu Pacific is set to receive another seven aircraft this year. The airline took deliveries of 17 jets in 2024.
READ: Cebu Pacific places P1.4-T order for Airbus jets
Naia reforms
As part of reorganization at Naia, the flights to Masbate and Siargao from Manila will be transferred to Clark International Airport by Mar. 30 to free up more slots to bigger jets while decongesting the primary gateway.
READ: BIZ BUZZ: Naia to bid turboprops adieu
Affected passengers can rebook their flights for free, avail themselves of full refund or convert their booking to a travel fund.
Cebu Pacific will have 15 local and international destinations being operated from the Clark hub by then.
The airline’s overall network caters to 37 domestic and 26 international destinations across Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
