Cebu Pacific Air (5J, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) is planning to grow its fleet from the current seventy units to eighty-three by 2022 and will launch dedicated full freighter operations in the first half of 2019.
Speaking during the delivery ceremony of the carrier's first A321-200neo, CEO Lance Gokongwei said, quoted by ABC-CBN, that in 2019 alone Cebu Pacific plans to take six A321neo, five A320-200neo, and a single ATR72-600. The larger A321neo will be deployed primarily out of congested Manila Ninoy Aquino International to better utilise the available slots, while the A320s will be then placed at regional bases in the Philippines.
Cebu Pacific also plans to use the A321neo's extended range to study new destinations in India, Japan, Russia, and potentially Australia.
Currently, the airline operates thirty-six A320-200s and seven A321-200s. It has thirty-two A321neo on order with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac).
Vice-President (Cargo) Alex Reyes additionally told SunStar that the airline planned to take two ATR72-500(F)s freighters, with the first one due to arrive in March 2019. The turboprops will then be used for cargo services between Manila and regional airports. Currently, Cebu Pacific does not operate full freighter aircraft, although it operates eighteen ATR - Avions de Transport Régional (EVX, Toulouse Blagnac) turboprops through its subsidiary Cebgo (DG, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) - six 72-500s and twelve -600s.
The airline also plans to double its widebody fleet, which currently consists of eight A330-300s. Flightglobal has reported that in late 2018, Cebu sent a Request for Information (RFI) to Airbus and Boeing for A330neo and B787 aircraft, respectively. Cebu expects to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) in mid-2019 for deliveries starting in late 2020.
For Cebu, the widebodies will be mostly used on slot-constrained regional markets rather than for a large-scale long-haul expansion.
