LONDON – Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines’ leading airline, received its ninth Airbus A320neo (New Engine Option) aircraft on January 1, 2023.
The aircraft operated on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on its delivery flight from the Airbus Hamburg facility in Germany to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila.
The first of 10 NEO aircraft for 2023
This aircraft delivery is first of the 10 expected brand-new Airbus NEO deliveries for the year
The carrier is anticipating delivery of three A320neo, three A321neo, and four A330neo aircraft to its operational fleet in 2023.
“This SAF-powered aircraft delivery supports our sustainability strategy in shifting to a more fuel-efficient NEO fleet by 2028. We will continue prioritizing our sustainability journey as we maintain our position as the greenest airline in Asia,” said Alex Reyes, Chief Strategy Officer at Cebu Pacific.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) operations
SAF is a drop-in fuel, which can be interchangeable replacement for fossil fuels. It does not require any adaptations to the aircraft or engines and does not have any negative impact on performance or maintenance. The use of SAF results in an up to 80% reduction in carbon emissions across the SAF lifecycle.
Cebu Pacific is the first low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia to incorporate SAF into its operations when it took delivery of its third Airbus A330neo in May 2022.
CEB’S sustainability goal is in line with global aviation’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The airline has made various investments that enable it to become fuel-efficient in its operations to keep fares affordable for the passengers.
Fleet modernization
Founded in 1988, Cebu Pacific is Asia’s oldest low-cost airline. It offers scheduled flights to both domestic and international destinations. The airline operates flights from a primary hub in Manila, two secondary hubs in Cebu and Davao.
As part of the airline’s modernization, Cebu Pacific is replacing its existing aircraft with new fuel-efficient aircraft by 2028.
In addition, as part of the airline’s environment initiatives, Cebu Pacific has used Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on its delivery flights, and tested SAF on a commercial passenger flight from Singapore to Manila on September 28, 2022
Apart from fleet modernization, the airline’s major pillars on its sustainable journey are resource optimization, which includes pushing for fuel efficiency best practices; and utilizing SAF by launching green routes by 2025.
To date, CEB’s fleet comprises of twenty-one A320ceo, nine A320neo, seven A321ceo, 10 A321neo, four A330ceo, four A330neo, fourteen ATR 72-600, six ATR 72-500 and two ATR Freighters.
