Cebu Pacific (CEB) is currently flying at 60 percent of its pre-pandemic domestic passenger capacity and remains "cautiously optimistic" for 2022.
CEB's Head of Strategy Alex Reyes said during a virtual briefing Tuesday, Dec. 7, that recovery for international flights will be "more subdued", with services for destinations such as Australia expected to resume a year later, he noted.
Nevertheless, "The pandemic enabled us to become agile and accelerated the transformation of our airline," says President and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei.
CEB has added more flights to key domestic destinations - Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and General Santos, after the government eased travel restrictions.
This month, CEB has raised its daily flights from Manila to Boracay to eleven times daily from nine times daily.
Operations between Cebu and Manila will increase to eleven times daily from nine times daily.
Flights to Cagayan de Oro were also increased to seven times daily from five times dailyand Manila to Davao flights, up to five times daily from three times daily.
CEB resumed its operations to Fukuoka every Tuesday December 7; to Bangkok every Thursday and Saturday, starting Dec 11; and to Taiwan every Wednesday, starting December 15.
Overall, CEB is prepared to meet higher travel demand in 2022. This year, it is adding six new aircraft to its fleet - two A321neo (new engine option), one A320neo, two A330neo, and one ATR 72-600.
Last month, CEB received its first A330neo and became "the greenest airline in Asia".
The eco-plane consumes 25 percent less fuel than previous generation aircraft and is eco-efficient -- able to consume as little as 1.4 liters per seat per 100 kilometers.
“We've already taken deliveries of the two A321neos, the A330 and the A320. Another A330neo, along with the ATR 72-600, are expected to arrive," according to Reyes.
"We are among the few airlines in the world and the only one in the Philippines to take deliveries during a pandemic, which is a testament to CEB’s resilience, liquidity, and expected recovery as we enter 2022,” he maintained.