Cebu Pacific presses on with refleeting, gets new Airbus

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific took delivery of its ninth Airbus A321neo, moving forward with its shift to more cost-efficient planes under a major refleeting program.

The company said the plane arrived on Thursday and would enter service this month, specifically for domestic destinations.

The Airbus 321neo, or new engine option, delivers 20-percent fuel cost savings and produces less noise. This would also allow the airline to keep fares low and stay competitive.

“We are happy to continue moving forward with our long-term fleet plan in line with our commitment to keep providing safe and affordable travel for everyJuan (everyone),” Alex Reyes, Cebu Pacific chief strategy officer, said in a statement.

Cebu Pacific, part of the Gokongwei family’s JG Summit Holdings, is upgrading its fleet despite the downturn in aviation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this period, it turned to new and existing investors and shareholders to raise funds and strengthen its balance sheet.It previously announced that P40.5 billion had been raised “to address the COVID-19 disruptions and prepare for recovery.”

The airline is targeting to retire its current fleet of Airbus jets and replace these with newer models by 2027.

In its 2020 annual report, Cebu Pacific operator Cebu Air Inc. stated this involved taking delivery of 59 new planes, including 56 Airbus jets.

Cebu Pacific operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, with an average age of 5.75 years. It currently has 75 planes, including nine A321neos, 25 Airbus A320s, seven Airbus A321ceos, five Airbus A320neos, seven Airbus A330s, six ATR 72-500s and 13 ATR 72-600s. INQ