Airlines

Cebu Pacific receives first China-built Airbus A320neo aircraft

359
(Photo from Airbus)

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific Air received its first China-built Airbus A320neo aircraft, with registry RP-C4138, on Friday, June 30, 2023.

Cebu Pacific’s newest aircraft was assembled at the Airbus Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Tianjin, China. This is the first time the low-cost airline has received a China-assembled Airbus aircraft, marking a significant milestone between Cebu Pacific and the European aircraft maker.

The Tianjin FAL, inaugurated in 2008, is the first assembly line outside Europe. Aside from China, Airbus has FALs in Toulouse, France; Hamburg, Germany; and Mobile, United States.

We are thrilled to welcome this delivery, which is a major milestone for both Airbus and Cebu Pacific. This is in line with our fleet plan, which aims to support our overall growth ambitions as travel demand continues to recover.

Michael Szucs, CEB Chief Executive Officer

During the delivery flight, Cebu Pacific boasted of using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with a 41 percent blend as part of the low-cost airline’s sustainability initiatives. This is, however, not the first time that Cebu Pacific used SAF on its delivery flights.

Cebu Pacific has been the Philippine leader in propelling decarbonization in the aviation industry. This aircraft delivery, powered by SAF, demonstrates our commitment to providing safe, convenient, and reliable travel for our customers, while building a greener and more sustainable future.

Alex Reyes, CEB Chief Strategy Officer

The 188-seat Airbus A320neo aircraft will complement the airline’s existing fleet of 74 aircraft, composed of ATR 72-600, Airbus A320neo, Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330-300, and Airbus A330neo aircraft.

Cebu Pacific has been experiencing a shortage of aircraft due to the increasing maintenance requirements of some of its Pratt & Whitney-powered Airbus A320neo family aircraft. This has resulted in some flight disruptions and reduced flight frequencies to cope with the aircraft shortage.

The airline will receive 15 new aircraft in 2023, including 10 brand new Airbus A320neo family aircraft. These new aircraft will help Cebu Pacific transition to a more fuel-efficient fleet by 2028. In addition, the low-cost airline will also receive five additional aircraft via long-term lease.

Written by
Dirk Andrei Salcedo

Dirk is the founder and editor-in-chief of Aviation Updates Philippines (AUP), a platform dedicated to providing the latest news and insights on the aviation industry in the Philippines. With a strong passion for aviation and a background in computer engineering, he manages all aspects of AUP, from website development to content curation.

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Featured Stories

Categories

Related Articles

Airlines

Cebu Pacific clinches Best Airline award at Routes Asia for second consecutive year

Cebu Pacific has once again been recognized as the Best Airline at...

Airlines

Cebu Pacific shifts ATR fleet to Clark, upgrades Manila-San Jose service to A320

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific is implementing notable operational changes, relocating portions of...

Airlines

Cebu Pacific welcomes first A330neo aircraft of 2025

Cebu Pacific welcomed its first aircraft delivery for 2025 on Friday, a...

Airlines

Cebu Pacific invests in new ground support equipment to boost operational efficiency

Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading airline, announced Thursday its acquisition of new...