Cebu Pacific

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by PikDig (talk | contribs) at 09:28, 23 September 2008. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Cebu Pacific
IATA ICAO Callsign
5J CEB CEBU AIR
Founded1996 (as Cebu Air)
Hubs
Focus cities
Fleet size21 (+17 orders, 18 options)
Destinations42
Parent companyJG Summit Holdings, Inc.
HeadquartersPasay City, Philippines
Key peopleJohn Gokongwei, Jr. (Chairman Emeritus), Ricardo J. Romulo (Chairman), Lance Gokongwei (President and CEO)
Websitehttp://www.cebupacificair.com

Cebu Air, Inc., operating as Cebu Pacific Air, is a low-cost airline based in Pasay City, Manila, the Philippines. It is one of the Philippines' national flag carriers, offering scheduled flights to both domestic and international destinations. Cebu Pacific Air is currently the country's leading domestic carrier, servicing the most domestic destinations with the largest number flights and routes, and equipped with the youngest fleet. Its main base is Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, with another hub at Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Francisco Bangoy International Airport[1] and a pending application to make Diosdado Macapagal International Airport its fourth hub.[2]

The airline is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JG Summit Holdings, controlled by the Gokongwei family - one of the richest Filipino-Chinese families based in the Philippines. Cebu Pacific is currently headed by Lance Gokongwei, presumptive heir of John Gokongwei, the chairman emeritus of JG Summit. The company has 1,182 employees (as of March 2007)[1].

History

File:DSC00901.jpg
One of Cebu Pacific's Airbus A320-200 at Legazpi Airport.
File:Ceb.png
Ceb, Cebu Pacific's Mascot

The airline was established on 26 August 1988 and started operations on March 8, 1996. It was founded as Cebu Air, and subsequently acquired by JG Summit Holdings (owned by John Gokongwei). Domestic services commenced following market deregulation by the Philippine government. It temporarily ceased operations in February 1998 after being grounded by the government, but resumed services later the next month following re-certification of its aircraft[1]. It initially started with 24 domestic flights daily among Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Davao City. By the end of 2001, its operations has grown to about 80 daily flights to 18 domestic destinations.

In the 2000s, Cebu Pacific was granted rights to operate international flights to the region, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Guam. International flights were launched on November 22 2001 with a twice daily service to Hong Kong.[3] On March 1 2002, it commenced thrice weekly flights to Seoul.[4] Other regional flights were introduced and suspended later, however, including flights to Singapore (from 6 November 2002 to January 2003) and from Manila via Subic to Seoul (from December 2002) due in part to the effects of the SARS epidemic.[5]

The airline resumed its Manila to Singapore flights on August 31,2006[6] and launched its direct flight from Cebu to Singapore on October 23, 2006, the first low-cost airline to serve the Cebu-Singapore-Cebu sector,[7] and in direct competition with Singapore Airlines' subsidiary SilkAir and Qatar Airways, CEB is now be the only Philippine carrier serving the Cebu-Singapore-Cebu route after PAL terminated its direct service. The airline operates direct flights from Cebu to Hong Kong which commenced October 2, 2006, which also made CEB the only Philippine carrier to serve a Cebu-Hong Kong-Cebu route after PAL terminated its direct service and is now code sharing with Cathay Pacific for this route.[8]

In May 2005 Cebu Pacific received two Airbus A320 aircraft on lease from CIT Leasing and operated its first service with the new aircraft on 3 June 2005 from Manila to Davao City.

In December 2006, after a month or two of operating the new direct flights, Cebu Pacific announced that it would increase flight frequency for its Cebu-Hong Kong-Cebu from four to five times weekly and Cebu-Singapore-Cebu flights from four to six weekly effective 25 January 2007. As of January 2008, it operates regional flights to Busan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul-Incheon, Taipei and Bangkok beginning April 6, 2008 from its Cebu hub; and Bangkok, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Singapore, Taipei, Seoul-Incheon, Shanghai and Xiamen from Manila.

Cebu Pacific's plans to begin international flights from Angeles-Clark Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) were initially unsuccessful when its request was denied. The nations involved came to an agreement that Cebu Pacific would be only allowed to operate charter flights from Clark to the respective countries airport(s). Only Singapore initially agreed to allow Cebu Pacific to fly scheduled flights from Diosdado Macapagal International Airport to Singapore.[9] Currently Cebu Pacific only operates a route from Diosdado Macapagal International Airport to Cebu, but has since announced that it will be commencing international flights from Manila- Clark to Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore from November 2008 as well as domestic flights from Manila-Clark to Cebu.[10]

In June, 2007, Cebu Pacific announced an order of up to 14 brand new ATR-72-500 aircraft, with six firm orders and eight options. It plans to initially offer flights to Boracay, using Boracay's Godofredo P. Ramos Airport.[11]

On November 12, 2007, Cebu Pacific announced Davao's Francisco Bangoy International Airport as its fourth hub. Cebu Pacific announced that it would initially fly internationally from Davao to Singapore, Hong Kong and fly one domestic flight to Iloilo. Both direct services from Davao to Singapore and Iloilo commenced on May 8, 2008 while the service to Hong Kong commenced on May 9, 2008.[12]

In late 2007, Cebu Pacific mentioned that it is aiming to cross the Pacific and launch non-stop flights to the United States West Coast, Houston, Texas and Chicago, Illinois by mid 2009.[13].

On 18th December 2007, Cebu Pacific announced that it would exercise options on its recent ATR-72-500 turboprop order (initially six firm) to increase its firm order to 10.[14]

On February 19, 2008, Cebu Pacific Air received its first delivery of its brand new ATR 72-500 from Toulouse, France and expected to take delivery of another five ATRs from March to December of 2008 .[15] The initial two ATRs fly on routes such as Cebu to Bacolod.

Cebu Pacific Air took delivery of its 16th brand-new Airbus, a 179-seater A320 aircraft from Toulouse, France last March 20, 2008. The arriving aircraft is supporting CEB's expanding international and domestic operations which include flights to 12, soon to be 15, international destinations.[16]

On May 28, 2008, Cebu Pacific was named as the world's number one airline in terms of growth. The airline was also ranked 5th in Asia for Budget Airline passengers transported and 23rd in the world. The airline carried a total of almost 5.5 million passengers in 2007, up 57.4 per cent from 2006[17]

On 22 July 2008, Cebu Pacific was the first airline to use the new terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport with its flight to Caticlan being the first to depart at 0515 local time. On August 1, 2008, it moved its international operations to the terminal thus becoming the first airline to have regular international commercial flights from the new terminal.

Destinations

Cebu Pacific flies to 27 domestic destinations, and to 15 international destinations in 10 countries.

Main article: Cebu Pacific destinations

New routes

Cebu

Manila

Manila-Clark

Fleet

One of Cebu Pacific's Airbus A319 Landing at Tagbilaran City.

The average Cebu Pacific fleet is less than 20 months old as of March 2008 because of the newly delivered ATR-72. Cebu Pacific is also studying the feasibility of an all-economy configuration of the Airbus A340 to be used in future possible West Coast routes.[21].

After the route-proving landing of the Airbus A380 MSN009 aircraft at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila last October 11 2007, the low-cost carrier has shown interest in acquiring the double-decker aircraft, but the carrier is still waiting for the delivery of the 20 Airbus A320 aircraft it ordered. [22] If the order for the A380 were to go through, these would make flights to the US more feasible, as an all economy A380 could hold up to 853 passengers and therefore bring down costs.[23]

In April 2005, Cebu Pacific signed a joint venture agreement with SIA Engineering Company for the maintenance of the Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. The new company, called Aviation Partnership (Philippines) Corporation, is co-owned by SIA Engineering Ltd. and Cebu Pacific.

On 13 March 2007, Cebu Pacific announced an order of 10 Airbus A320, plus 10 options. The firm orders are for delivery from 2010 - 2012, while the options are for delivery from 2011 - 2013. In order to bridge the gap from now until the first delivery in 2010, CEB will be taking short to medium term leases on Airbus A320 aircraft. 4 will be leased in 2008, with a further 3-4 being leased in 2009.

On the 18th of December, Cebu Pacific announced that they have ordered an additional 4 ATR-72-500 turboprop aircraft. This order increases their order of ATR-72 aircraft from 6 firm plus 8 options to 10 firm plus 8 options.[14]

By the end of 2008, Cebu Pacific will have a fleet of 25 aircraft after the four leased A320 planes and six ATRs are delivered in 2008.[14]

Current

Cebu Pacific Fleet
Aircraft Total Passengers
(Economy) 		Routes Notes
Airbus A319-100 10 150 Domestic, Intra-Asia All fitted with leather seats
Airbus A320-200 8
(10 orders)
(10 options) 		179 Domestic, Intra-Asia All fitted with leather seats
ATR 72-500 3
(7 orders)
(8 options) 		72 Domestic All fitted with leather seats

Retired

Cebu Pacific Retired Fleet
Aircraft Year Retired Replacement
McDonnell Douglas DC9-30 2006 Airbus A319-100
Boeing 757-200 2006 Airbus A320-200

Partnerships

Cebu Pacific is the only Philippine-based member airline of Northwest Airlines' WorldPerks award travel program. WorldPerks offers regular travelers the ability to obtain free tickets, First Class upgrades on flights, or other types of rewards. As of August 1 2006 Northwest and Cebu Pacific no longer have a mileage accrual agreement, although WorldPerks miles may still be redeemed on Cebu Pacific. As of January 26 2008, Northwest Airlines has temporarily suspended their partnership with Cebu Pacific, due to the FAA Category 2 downgrading.

The airline is also partnering with Metrobank Card Corporation for its Go! Mastercard credit card which offers frequent flyer reward points.

Incidents and Accidents

  • On February 2, 1998, Cebu Pacific Flight 387, a DC-9-32 travelling from Manila to Cagayan de Oro, crashed on the slopes of Mount Sumagaya in Misamis Oriental, killing all 104 people on board. The crash was one of the country's worst air tragedies. Aviation investigators deemed the incident to be caused by pilot error when the plane made a non-regular stopover to Tacloban. Flight 387 was supposed to be a direct flight but due to the stopover, the pilots were not familiar with the route.
  • On May 3, 2006 at 9:15 am, Cebu Pacific Flight 393, a Douglas DC-9 from Davao, was on final approach on Runway 27 at Zamboanga International Airport. After touchdown, the left main gear of the aircraft burst. None of the 100 passengers were injured. However, the aircraft was stuck on the runway, forcing the airport to be closed for 23 hours. All flights to and from Zamboanga were canceled or rerouted.

External links

References

  1. ^ a b c "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 62.
  2. ^ CEB eyes Clark
  3. ^ Cebu Pacific Flies to Hongkong
  4. ^ Cebu Pacifc takes off for Seoul
  5. ^ Flying between Subic Seoul, Cebu Pacific, retrieved 2008-03-31
  6. ^ Flies Manila-Singapore
  7. ^ Cebu Pacific Flies direct flight to Singapore from Cebu
  8. ^ Cebu Pacific Flies from Cebu to Hongkong, retrieved 2008-03-31
  9. ^ Lack of reciprocal flight privileges keeps Cebu Pacific international flights grounded at Clark
  10. ^ Cebu Pacific now flying Cebu – Clark
  11. ^ Cebu Pacific orders up to 14 brand new ATR72-500 aircraft
  12. ^ "Cebu Pacific to make Davao its 3rd hub" (Press release). Cebu Pacific. 2007-11-12. Retrieved 2007-11-12. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Directory: CebuPac's next meal: Regional, US routes".
  14. ^ a b c Philippines' Cebu Pacific to by 4 more ATR turbo-prop planes
  15. ^ Cebu Pacific takes delivery of first ATR 72-500 aircraft, Cebu Pacific, retrieved 2008-03-22
  16. ^ Cebu Pacific expects new Airbus arrival, retrieved 2008-03-29
  17. ^ Philippines Budget Carrier Cebu Pacific Is World No. 1 In Growth
  18. ^ a b c d "Cebu Pacific adds more destinations from Cebu hub" (Press release). Cebu Pacific. 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2008-08-28. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "Cebu Pacific flies Manila-Osaka" (Press release). Cebu Pacific. 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2008-09-15. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ a b c d "Cebu Pacific starts Clark Hub on November 8" (Press release). Cebu Pacific. 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2008-09-03. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "Directory: CebuPac's next meal: Regional, US routes".
  22. ^ "Airbus A380 lands in Manila".
  23. ^ "Directory: CebuPac's next meal: Regional, US routes".
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cebu_Pacific&oldid=240402111"