Cebu Pacific mulls expansion of long-haul operations

Philippine low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific is currently considering the expansion of its long-haul operations.

These plans are being supported by the airline’s growing fleet, the Philippines’ economic stability, the growing demand from overseas Filipino workers, as well as the surging numbers in terms of inbound tourism.

Cebu Pacific’s director of network planning Angela Lugtu explained that the airline is contemplating the expansion of its service routes to include destinations within a nine-hour flight range.

Such routes would be serviced with the airline’s 459-seater Airbus A330-900 aircraft. 

Tale of the tape

Cebu Pacific’s current network serves 26 international destinations, and, as of end-2024, the LCC has carried more than 24.5 million passengers utilising a 99-unit-strong fleet of 99. 

At present, 73 percent of Cebu Pacific’s capacity covers domestic flights, and the remaining 27 percent is used for international routes.

However, Cebu Pacific’s only long-haul routes at present are to Dubai, Melbourne, and Sydney.

This may change despite ongoing global supply issues within the aviation sector, as the surging population of Filipinos employed overseas calls for longer-haul flight services.

Indeed, the demand is making Cebu Pacific and its competitors consider routes as far as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar.