Tag: cebu

  • Cebu Pacific net income doubled in 2019

    Cebu Pacific net income doubled in 2019

    Cebu Pacific on Wednesday reported a 132.6-percent jump in net income for 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic grounded world travel and plunged airlines into financial turmoil.

    The Philippines’ largest airline posted net income of P9.123 billion last year from nearly P4 billion in the previous year, according to a stock exchange filing. Passenger revenue grew 8.7 percent to P4.3 billion while cargo revenue rose 19.3 percent to P887.8 million.

    Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and AirAsia Philippines on Tuesday sought credit relief from Manila, saying their survival was at stake. Flight were suspended throughout the 1-month Luzon lockdown, scheduled to end on April 12.

    “While it is difficult to predict when operating conditions will improve, the Group believes that it remains a going concern, given the measures undertaken, its liquidity position, its access to short and long term funding, and the strong relationships it has with major suppliers,” Cebu Pacific said.

    Cebu Pacific earlier said its senior management took pay cuts to avoid layoffs.

  • Cebu Pacific extends free rebooking, travel fund option until June 30

    Cebu Pacific extends free rebooking, travel fund option until June 30

    Budget carrier Cebu Pacific is extending its free rebooking and travel option for passengers with booked flights until June 30.

    The airline decided to adjust its booking policies to provide its passengers with “flexibility and peace of mind,” in case they change their travel plans amid uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation.

    Cebu Pacific said it still plans to operate flights by April 15 as scheduled.

    However, passengers with confirmed bookings on any Cebu Pacific domestic or international flight from April 15 to June 30, 2020 have the following options:

    • Free rebooking – rebook flights on any travel date with change fees waived. Fare difference may apply.

    To rebook the flight, use the “Manage Booking” portal in the Cebu Pacific website.

    • Travel Fund – place the full cost of the ticket in a Travel Fund which can then be used as payment for a future booking. The Travel Fund is valid for 180 days and can be used for bookings as far as 12 months out.

    To avail of the Travel Fund option, use the “Manage Booking” portal in the Cebu Pacific website to cancel their booking and store the value in the Travel Fund.

    “New flights booked from April 15 to June 30 (regardless of travel date and route), on the other hand, include CEB Flexi for FREE,” Cebu Pacific said.

    CEB Flexi enables travelers to rebook their flights up to two times, fare difference may apply.

    The airline also apologized for the delays in reverting to messages and long wait times for calls.

    “This is due to the high volume of passenger concerns being addressed by our team. Please bear with us,” it said.

    “We thank our passengers, partners and our stakeholders for their patience and trust,” it added.

  • Cebu Pacific suspends all flights until April 14 due to COVID-19 lockdown

    Cebu Pacific suspends all flights until April 14 due to COVID-19 lockdown

    Cebu Pacific said Tuesday all flights would be canceled from March 19 to April 14 in compliance with the Luzon-wide lockdown and similar quarantines elsewhere in the country to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The last day of operations will be on March 18 to service flights from Manila, Bangkok, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Ho Chi Minh, Singapore, Taipei, Bali and Jakarta, the country’s largest carrier said in an advisory.

    “All Cebu Pacific and CebGo flights will be canceled from March 19 until April 14, in support of government regulations on COVID-19,” Cebu Pacific said.

    Philippine Airlines and AirAsia earlier announced flight cancellations due to COVID-19.

    Affected passengers can rebook, refund or store the value of the ticket in a fund, it said.

    Ticket offices will also be closed from March 19 to April 14 for the safety of passengers and personnel, the carrier said. Changes can be done through the “manage booking” portal in its website, Cebu Pacific said.

    Cebu Pacific earlier said the COVID-19 pandemic would “significantly” dent revenues and operating expenses.

  • Cebu Pacific to cancel South Korea flights from March 3 to April 30

    Cebu Pacific to cancel South Korea flights from March 3 to April 30

    In line with the government’s travel ban on South Korea, Cebu Pacific will cancel its flights to the East Asian country from March 3 to April 30.

    Cebu Pacific announced Friday that the following flights will be canceled:

    5J 188/ 5J 187 Manila-Incheon-Manila

    5J 128 / 5J 129 Cebu-Incheon-Cebu

    5J 180 / 5J 181 Kalibo-Incheon-Kalibo

    The airline has advised affected passengers to rebook flights to February 29, March 1, or March 2 depending on seat availability, rebook a new flight until June 30, or refund the tickets in full. Passengers can also store the ticket value in a travel fund for future use.

    The Bureau of Immigration has implemented the ban on passengers with a recent history of travel from the coronavirus-hit province of North Gyeongsang in South Korea. The infection began in Its capital Daegu City. This was based on the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

    Meanwhile, exempted from the travel ban to Korea are overseas Filipino workers, permanent residents in Korea, and students.

    South Korea has confirmed 571 additional cases of the novel coronavirus Friday, according to the South Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    This brings the national total to 2,337 cases, with 13 deaths. South Korea has recorded the largest virus outbreak outside mainland China.

  • Cebu Pacific extends sustainable tourism campaign to Bohol

    Cebu Pacific extends sustainable tourism campaign to Bohol

    Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines’ largest carrier—and one of the largest in the region— has extended its ‘Juan Effect’ sustainable tourism program. After roll-outs in Siargao and in Boracay, Bohol will be adopted as a Juan Effect destination with interventions put in place to support its sustainable tourism practices.

    Bohol was chosen as the next destination as it is one of the Philippines’ and the airline’s most popular destinations, has welcomed close to 1.5 million tourists in 2018, according to the Provincial Planning and Development Office.

    Juan Effect Bohol will launch with an information campaign through signages installed in Bohol’s most popular tourist attractions, including the Chocolate Hills, the Tarsier Sanctuary, and the Loboc River Cruise. These multi-lingual signages, made out of recycled wood, carry reminders of simple things to do or behaviors to observe while visiting these attractions.

    “It is important to strike a balance between growing the tourism industry and preserving the very assets that attract tourists,” said Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and customer experience at Cebu Pacific. “Bohol has seen its tourist arrivals grow in the past year. We are adopting it as a Juan Effect site to do our part in reminding our travelers to conserve its ecological and cultural treasures.”

    In partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT), the multi-sectoral sustainable tourism program is also supported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as the Department of Interior and Local Government. The advocacy engages the local community, the government and tourism stakeholders, in educating travelers about their responsibilities as tourists.

  • Strategy Cebu Pacific expects up to $79 million hit from coronavirus

    Strategy Cebu Pacific expects up to $79 million hit from coronavirus

    Cebu Pacific expects the coronavirus outbreak to impact its bottom line by up to Ps4 billion ($79 million).

    The low-cost carrier estimates that it will see “a Ps3-4 billion swing on profit” should the outbreak remain unabated over the next six months.

    It makes this estimate based on 2003’s Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak, which curtailed demand for air travel for six months.

    The carrier has canceled flights to China until 29 March, while reducing frequencies to Hong Kong and Macau. Meanwhile, compatriot Philippine Airlines and Philippines AirAsia have suspended flights to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

    Cebu Pacific stressed that the Ps4 billion figure is provided against “the context of its 2020 profit outlook,” especially since it posted operating profit of Ps8.9 billion in the first half of 2019.

    In its statement to the Philippines Stock Exchange, it confirmed remarks by its chief executive Lance Gokongwei that the impact of the coronavirus remains difficult to forecast as “the situation continues to evolve.”

    “We can’t forecast because the situation is escalating so fast,” Gokongwei was quoted as saying in a 2 February report on The Philippine Star.

    “We just had an update regarding [the eruption of] Taal volcano three weeks ago and then now, there’s a change in forecast. People don’t want to travel.”

  • Cebu Pacific Celebrates Dinagyang with Fiesta Fun Fest

    Cebu Pacific Celebrates Dinagyang with Fiesta Fun Fest

    Festivals are much a part of the Filipino culture as its distinct cuisines and hospitality. Filipino festivals across cities are vastly different; with different practices and tributes but still tied to an undeniable sense of Filipino community and camaraderie.

    For 2020, Cebu Pacific launches the Fiesta Fun Fest, a global campaign that will highlight the country’s top festivals that have marked the Philippines as a tourism destination among locals and foreigners alike.

    Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival is the second stop of the Cebu Pacific Fiesta Fun Fest campaign, following the kickoff activity during the Sinulog Festival in Cebu early this year. In the true spirit of dagyang, Cebu Pacific will be having on-ground booths filled with fun games and prizes. Around 100 Grab cars will also bear the Cebu Pacific brand and its corresponding direct Iloilo routes to highlight the merits of travel, whether by land or air, especially during grand gatherings such as Dinagyang.

    To make this year’s Dinagyang Festival even more fun, Cebu Pacific will be holding a special sale for all routes in and out of its hub in Iloilo. For as low as PHP99, fly direct between Iloilo and Cebu, Clark, Puerto Princesa, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos and Manila; from Iloilo to Singapore, and vice versa for as low as PHP2016; and Iloilo to Hong Kong for as low as PHP499.

    Iloilo serves as the primary hub of Cebu Pacific in Western Visayas, with nine direct domestic and international routes and 172 flights weekly, catering to a growing number of travelers in the region. Cebu Pacific has maintained its leadership in the Iloilo market, with 54% capacity share.

    Watch out for the next stop of the Cebu Pacific Fiesta Fun Fest! Visit the official Cebu Pacific social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more details.

  • Cebu Pacific announces seat sale

    Cebu Pacific announces seat sale

    Filipinos and residents in the UAE can get a chance to enjoy the most exciting festivities in the Philippines as Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ largest national carrier, offers flights from Dubai to Manila for as low as Dh395 ($107.5) base fare.

    The Philippines is known for its stunning beaches some of which are recognized as one of the best in the world. But aside from its magnificent coastlines, the country is also a home to some of the best festivals you’ll ever get to see.

    Cebu Pacific celebrates the success of their hometown’s Sinulog Festival with these Festivals of Fun seat sale! Catch the remaining festivals of the Philippines this year by starting with Panagbenga aka annual flower festival in February.

    In addition, Cebu Pacific has the widest network in the Philippines—connecting travelers from the UAE to 37 local destinations and 25 international destinations with over 120 routes.

    The sale will be from January 20 to 23 and will cover the travel period from February 1 to June 30, which means a chance to experience as many festivals in the country as one can.

    Book now through www.cebupacificair.com or the mobile app, available both in Google Play and App Store. Those who prefer to pay in cash may pay over the counter at any branch of Al-Ansari Exchange, UAE Exchange and Al Rais Travels located across the country, within 24 hours of making a booking online.

  • Cebu Pacific kicks off new year with weekend seat sale

    Cebu Pacific kicks off new year with weekend seat sale

    Start the new year right by jetting off to Clark, an underrated destination in the Philippines with Cebu Pacific’s first seat sale of the year. From 10 January 2020 till 14 January 2020, all flights to the destination are on sale from as low as SGD 90 (USD 66.55), with a travel period from 1 February 2020 to 30 June 2020.

    With exciting seat sales lined up throughout the year, the carrier aims to make travel more convenient and affordable, allowing Singaporeans to enjoy quick getaways and explore new and unique destinations in the Philippines.

    Located in the heart of the Philippine’s Central Luzon region, Clark is a hidden gem that offers visitors a unique fusion of urban and cultural experiences. From teeing off on a world-class championship golf course at the Mimosa and Fontana Resort and Country Clubs, to relaxing in the thermal springs of Mount Pinatubo at Puning Hot Spring, it is just four hours away from Singapore with Cebu Pacific.

  • AirAsia increases some flight frequencies from Cebu, Clark

    AirAsia increases some flight frequencies from Cebu, Clark

    AirAsia said Friday it was increasing flight frequencies out of its Clark and Cebu hubs to meet travel demand.

    Starting in January, the following will be flown daily from 3 times weekly: Clark to Iloilo (Z2 931) and Iloilo to Clark (Z2 932). The following will be flown 4 times weekly from 3 times: Cebu to Kuala Lumpur (Z2 7110) and Kuala Lumpur to Cebu (Z2 7111), AirAsia said.

    Starting March 29, the following will be flown 4 times weekly from 3 times: Clark to Tacloban (Z2 975) and Tacloban to Clark (Z2 976). Also on March 29, the following will be flown daily from 3 times weekly: Cebu to Puerto Princesa (Z2 543) and Puerto Princesa to Cebu (Z2 544), AirAsia said.

    “We are pleased to welcome the new year with additional flights, offering guests more options when flying with us as they accomplish their travel goals this 2020. Our adjustments are well guided by data, and I am very optimistic about the tourism boost this will bring to our country in the summer months,” said AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla.

  • Airlines Cebu Pacific becomes latest IATA member

    Airlines Cebu Pacific becomes latest IATA member

    Philippines low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific has joined IATA, becoming the second carrier from the country to be part of the trade association.

    Cebu Pacific says IATA membership will help it “gain access to expertise and learnings” about best practices and innovation.

    Conrad Clifford (left), IATA regional vice president for Asia-Pacific presents the IATA Certificate of Membership to Cebu Pacific president and CEO Lance Gokongwei.

    Cebu Pacific chief Lance Gokongwei adds: “Moreover, we will also be able to share our own operational experience and contribute to further developing the airline industry as a whole.”

    IATA says the low-cost carrier has achieved full compliance with its’ Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), which assesses a carrier’s operational management and control systems.

    Cebu Pacific currently flies 121 routes, with more than 2,600 weekly flights. Cirium fleets data indicates the carrier operates 54 aircraft, including a mix of A320 family jets and A330s, and has 44 aircraft on orders.

    Cebu Pacific joins a growing number of low-cost carriers added to the IATA fold. In November, Indian carrier IndiGo joined the association.

  • Cebu Pacific announces Chinese New Year seat sale

    Cebu Pacific announces Chinese New Year seat sale

    Cebu Pacific is offering promotional fares for the Chinese New Year, the airline said Sunday.

    The country’s largest carrier is offering P99 base fare for flights originating from Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Clark, and Davao, while passengers can book a Manila to Kota Kinabalu flight for as low as P149.

    For the complete list of promotional fares, click here.

    Promotional fares are available from Dec. 14 to 16. Travel period for domestic flights is from January 15 to March 31, 2020, while travel period for international flights is from January 1 to March 31.

  • Cebu Pacific profit surges by 143%

    Cebu Pacific profit surges by 143%

    The operator of budget airline Cebu Pacific saw its net income surge by 143 percent in the first nine months of the year as earnings were lifted by strong passenger bookings and stable costs.

    Cebu Air Inc., a subsidiary of the Gokongwei family’s JG Summit Holdings, said on Tuesday that net income from January to September hit P6.75 billion versus P2.78 billion during the same period last year.

    Cebu Air has been ramping up capacity to meet the rising demand for air travel. Passenger revenue during the nine-month period went up 17.9 percent to P46.6 billion. Some 16.7 million flyers used Cebu Air during the period, representing a growth of 10.4 percent.

    Moreover, average fares went up 6.7 percent to P2,794, the budget airline said. Other revenue sources such as cargo and ancillary also went up 5.3 percent and 22.2 percent, respectively.

    Overall, Cebu Air’s revenue increased by 17.7 percent to P63.62 billion.

    Cebu Air said expenses were mostly kept in check during the period. Operating expenses increased 7.8 percent to P53.81 billion, in line with expanded operations.

    Flying operations alone went up 2.5 percent to P22.56 billion. Cebu Air said this was mainly due to pilot training costs as it took delivery of new planes. Fuel expenses also dropped 1.4 percent or P260.67 million during the period.

    For the third quarter alone, Cebu Air posted a net loss of P384.3 million, narrower than the previous year’s loss of P518.43 million. Revenue of P18.92 billion, up 16.7 percent, alongside stable operating costs helped lower losses during the third quarter of 2019.

    Cebu Air ended September with 72 planes. Its fleet was comprised of 31 Airbus A320, seven Airbus A321 CEO, three Airbus A320 NEO, two Airbus A321 NEO, eight Airbus A330, eight ATR 72-500 and 13 ATR 72-600.

    Its network spanned 80 domestic routes and 41 international routes with a total of 2,727 scheduled weekly flights.

  • Cebu Pacific cut flight delays in October

    Cebu Pacific cut flight delays in October

    Budget airline Cebu Pacific recorded minimal flight delays in October as on-time performance went up.

    The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Monday that Cebu Pacific posted an on-time performance of almost 85 percent last month, better than the 80.66 percent in September.

    A flight is considered on time if it leaves within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure.

    “The improved OTP is a result of the close cooperation and coordination with concerned government agencies to minimize delays across our network,” Michael Ivan Shau, Cebu Pacific chief operations officer, said in the statement.

    Earlier, flag carrier Philippine Airlines said on-time performance in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), the country’s busiest gateway, hit 92 percent for the month of October.

    The DOTr noted in the statement that improved efficiency followed the signing in June of a commitment to decongest Naia and support the development of other gateways, including the Sangley Airport in Cavite.

    “I am happy that months after we signed the pledge of commitment, we continue to see improvements in OTP across the industry. I hope these efforts are sustained to make air travel in the Philippines more efficient and comfortable,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said in the statement.

  • Cebu Pacific increases capacity in Clark, Palawan

    Cebu Pacific increases capacity in Clark, Palawan

    Cebu Pacific said it will end the year as the biggest carrier in terms of capacity at the Clark International Airport and the Busuanga and Puerto Princesa airports in Palawan.

    In a statement, the Gokongwei-led budget carrier attributed the increased capacity share in Clark to the direct flights to Guangzhou and Puerto Princesa, as well as between Puerto Princesa and Hong Kong.

    Cebu Pacific said its capacity share at the Clark International Airport will hit 28% by end-2019. The airline mounts 190 flights weekly from this hub to Bacolod, Bohol, Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Narita and Singapore.

    “Cebu Pacific has taken a measured pace of expansion in Clark, but we have always believed in the potential of Clark. Over the past 12 months, our capacity growth in Clark hit over 90%. With the growth in passenger traffic in Clark, we are bullish that the new routes we launched over the past few months will continue to perform strongly,” Alexander G. Lao, chief strategy officer of Cebu Pacific, was quoted as saying.

    The airline is also set to end the year with 46% total capacity share in Puerto Princesa and the Busuanga Airport. Cebu Pacific mounts 190 flights a week to and from Palawan.

    “We remain confident that Hong Kong will bounce back, and despite current concerns, there is continued demand for travel between Hong Kong and the Philippines. We are confident in the potential of Palawan to grow tourism sustainably, and we will continue to work with our stakeholders in Palawan to better connect the province to the rest of the Philippines and to key tourist catch points in Asia,” Alex B. Reyes, vice-president for commercial at Cebu Pacific, said.

    Cebu Pacific increased capacity by 23% to 19 million seats as of end-September.

    Cebu Air, Inc., the listed operator of Cebu Pacific, said its nine-month profit surged 142% to P6.75 billion, as it added flights and raised average fares.