Cebu Pacific awaits permits for international services

Cebu Pacific Air said yesterday it is awaiting government approval for its permits to operate scheduled international services, as the Civil Aeronautics Board meets today.

The airline said it has applications for designation to destinations such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Guam, Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan and the US.

The carrier has already obtained its temporary operating permit for international unscheduled flights. This will allow Cebu Pacific to operate charter services outside the country.

"We are positive that the CAB will see the merits of our application, and recognize the need for a second Philippine official carrier," said Cebu Pacific president and CEO Lance Gokongwei.

The Department of Transportation and Communications has expressed its willingness to designate another official flag carrier, to promote healthy competition within the industry, which would benefit the flying public. Likewise, the multisectoral Economic Mobilization Group (EMG) pointed out the need for another official flag carrier, and has found Cebu Pacific to be capable of mounting international flights.

Cebu Pacific also disclosed that it is choosing from several aircraft types, including MD-80s, B737s, B757s, and B767s for its planned international flights. Negotiations with aircraft providers are currently underway.

The five-year-old company controls a third of the local market, and is the dominant carrier for intra-Visayas-Mindanao flights using Cebu as its hub.

In its first three years of operation, Cebu Pacific averaged a million passengers per year. It hit the five millionth mark seven months prior to its fifth anniversary. It logged its six millionth passenger last April, barely two months after it turned five years old.

"We are steadily building up our capacity and capability. And as we expand operations, we will continue offering our passengers value fares and efficient service as manifested in our industry leading on-time perfomance," Gokongwei said.

The airline’s adherence to the strittest global maintenance systems and procedures, a condition to its gaining an AQS 9000/121 (Aviation Quality and Safety) certification before the end of 1999, ensures safety and the high quality of its service.

These systems and procedures are now second nature to the airline but an AQS team of experts, as well as an internal task force, periodically audit the airline as a back-up system.

"It costs more but it comes back in terms of efficiency and loyalty from passengers who appreciate good service," Gokongwei said.