Aviation Partnership Philippines (Aplus), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cebu Pacific (CEB), inaugurated an improved hangar on Friday, Dec. 14, to gear up for the recovery of the travel sector after the pandemic lockdowns.
Last month, Aplus completed the renovation of its 3,112-square meter hangar, which can cater to A320 and ATR aircraft, as well as the A321neo.
Aplus is a key player in aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).
It provides services, such as line maintenance, light aircraft checks and technical ramp handling for CEB as well as other carriers with hubs in Manila, Cebu, Davao and Clark.
The improved Aplus hangar, in particular, will be used to perform phased C-Checks.
A C-Check, performed every 20–24 months, or a specific number of actual flight hours (FH), entails an inspectipn of majority of the aircraft's components.
The aircraft cannot leave the maintenance site until it is completed. Hence, the check puts the plane out of service for one to two weeks.
“The Aplus hangar will allow for a reduced turnaround time for our existing and future airline customers," explained Aplus General Manager Rico Ugdoracion.
"Working under one roof will boost personnel productivity and enhance the quality of our services.”
The hangar optimizes CEB's cost when it comes to logistics and ferry cost. The carrier does not have to send its aircraft to Clark or to any regional MRO for checks requiring a hangar.
“This is a milestone not only for Cebu Pacific but more so for our subsidiary, Aplus,” confirmed Michael Ivan Shau, CEB Chief Corporate Affairs Officer.
In addition, Aplus’ wants to get more foreign as well as local airline customers.
“Having a hangar will give our foreign airline customers confidence that in case their aircraft gets grounded in Manila, a hangar can be provided by Aplus to perform the needed maintenance activities,” added Ugdoracion.
CEB acquired Aplus in November 2020 to optimize its operations.