Cebu Pacific expects to beat pre-pandemic capacity

BUDGET carrier Cebu Pacific said it is on track to beating its pre-pandemic capacity at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) by June as it will be operating a total of 28 routes from the hub.

In a press release, the airline said that it will start offering flights to Taipei from MCIA starting June 23.

With the new route, Cebu Pacific will have a total of 23 domestic and five international destinations from MCIA, for a total capacity “which will hit 129% [of the pre-pandemic level] in June.”

“Cebu Pacific is proud to have its largest base outside Manila in one of the best airports in Asia. We are excited to further expand our Cebu hub to connect more travelers to some of the world’s best beaches and islands,” Cebu Pacific Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer Candice Jennifer A. Iyog said.

Starting March 26, Cebu Pacific will be flying to Butuan, Caticlan, Bacolod, Siargao, Dumaguete, Legazpi, General Santos, Surigao, and Incheon from MCIA.

Meanwhile, beginning May 5, it will be flying to Clark and Puerto Princesa from the Cebu hub.

“The new and resumed flights from Cebu as well as the additional frequencies are expected to increase the total number of seats by 21%, equivalent to 76,000 more seats per month,” the airline said.

The airline previously announced the planned expansion of its Cebu hub’s fleet to 13 with two additional aircraft, which is on top of the 10 new Airbus NEO aircraft that it expects to be delivered in 2023.

Cebu Pacific is launching a special seat sale from March 20 to 23, allowing travelers from Visayas and Mindanao to book their flights for as low as P1 one-way base fare. The seat sale covers the travel period from June 1 to Sept. 30.

At present, the airline flies to 34 domestic and 25 international destinations across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. — Justine Irish D. Tabile