Cebu Pacific eyes expansion of China operations

MANILA, Philippines - Budget airline Cebu Pacific (CEB) is looking at expanding its operations in China after experiencing a 30-percent growth in mainland passengers in the third quarter of 2011.

CEB already announced plans to increase flights to Beijing, after its first year of operations last Sept. 5. It will service the Manila-Beijing-Manila route four times a week starting Jan. 7, 2012 to cope with demand.

The airline currently flies thrice weekly to Beijing and Guangzhou, and daily to Shanghai. Its Greater China operations extend to daily flights from Manila to Taipei, up to six daily flights to Hong Kong from Manila, Clark and Cebu, and 11 weekly flights to Macau from Manila and Clark.

 “China is the next growth area for CEB. We already serve Northern and Southern China with our current routes, but additional connectivity between our two countries will only benefit tourism and trade,” CEB vice president for marketing and distribution Candice Iyog said.

She noted that the Philippines is the nearest tropical destination to China, and this is evident in the influx of tourists to Boracay and other top beach getaways. “There are also a lot of enterprises in the Philippines that source out their materials in China. There is a lot of potential for growth, as we take delivery of more planes,” she said.

In the meantime, CEB is cutting fares to China and Taipei by as much as 63 percent in a seat sale from Oct. 21 to 23, 2011 or until seats last.

For travel from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2012, passengers can buy seats for only P1,488 from Manila to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Taipei.

Meanwhile, for those with more immediate plans of travel from Dec. 1 to 31, 2011, P1,888 seats are also available from Manila to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Taipei.

It also holds a select domestic seat sale for travel from Dec. 1, 2011 to Feb. 29, 2012. Up for grabs are P388 seats from Cebu to Dumaguete; P488 seats from Cebu to Pagadian, Surigao, Ozamiz and Dipolog; P588 seats from Cebu to Butuan, and from Manila to Cebu, Dumaguete and Roxas.

Those coming from Manila to Dipolog, Pagadian and Surigao can also buy P888 seats.

CEB currently operates 10 Airbus A319, 17 Airbus A320 and eight ATR-72 500 aircraft. By the end of 2011, CEB will be operating a fleet of 37 aircraft - with an average age of less than 3.5 years - one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world. Between 2012 and 2021, it will take delivery of 23 Airbus A320 and 30 Airbus A321neo aircraft orders, and two Airbus A320 aircraft on operating lease agreements.