CebuPac gets nod to fly to Saudi

Manila Standard Today
March 6, 2012
by Lailany P. Gomez

Cebu Pacific has secured permits from the Civil Aeronautics Board to fly to two destinations in the Middle East, as part of a plan to offer budget long-haul operations beginning the third quarter of 2013.

The country’s leading budget airline said it was granted flight re-allocation entitlements to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Cebu Pacific was given seven of the 14 frequencies to the United Arab Emirates previously allocated to Philippine Airlines Inc.

The regulator also granted Cebu Pacific the designation official Philippine carrier to Saudi Arabia and approved the re-allocation of flight entitlements in favor of the low-cost airline.

Cebu Pacific, the airline unit of JG Summit Holdings Inc., had announced it would serve cities where large Filipino communities reside such as those in Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the United States.

The airline had also signed operating lease agreements with CIT Aerospace, a unit of the CIT Group Inc., for four Airbus A330-300 aircraft that would be delivered from 2013 to 2014 in preparation for its plan to serve new markets.

CIT Aerospace provides financing solutions to operators of commercial and business aircraft, manufacturers and suppliers in the aerospace and defense industries as well as financial institutions. CIT owns or finances a fleet of 300 commercial aircraft.

Cebu Pacific currently flies to 19 international destinations including Bangkok, Beijing, Brunei, Busan, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Incheon (Seoul), Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Shanghai, Siem Reap, Singapore, Taipei and Xiamen.

It also operates the most extensive network in the Philippines with 33 domestic destinations and hubs in Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao.

The airline has flown over 60 million passengers since it was established in 1996. It also posted a good track record in stimulating short-haul travel of passengers around Asia, with a 14-percent systemwide passenger growth in 2011.

The airline currently operates 10 Airbus A319, 20 Airbus A320 and 8 ATR-72 500 aircraft. Its fleet of 38 aircraft, with an average age of 3.6 years, is one of the youngest aircraft fleets in Asia.