Cebu Pacific planning SYD,BNE,MEL flights

[lloyd fox]

Cebu Pacific seeks flights to Brunei and Australia

GOKONGWEI-LED Cebu Pacific has filed a petition before the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to mount flights to Australia and Brunei following the conclusion of air service agreements with the two countries.

"We’re very interested to operate flights to Brunei and Australia. We’ve been asking for entitlements so that we can offer low fares for these markets," Candice A. Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice-president for marketing, said.

Budget-airline Cebu Pacific sought 540 seat entitlements for a thrice-weekly Manila to Sydney flight, 300 seat entitlements for a twice-weekly Manila to Melbourne flight, and 360 seat entitlements for a twice-weekly Manila to Brisbane flight.

Cebu Pacific has also applied for a petition for "designation as official Philippine carrier to Brunei" since there would be daily flights to Brunei’s Bandar Seri Begawan airport.

Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines, Inc. (PAL), meanwhile, said that it has no plans now to increase flights to Australia.

"We are on status quo for our flights to Australia," Jonathan P. Gesmundo of PAL’s Corporate Communications office said.

Last October, Lucio C. Tan-led PAL hiked its flights to Melbourne and Sydney to daily from five times a week.

Mr. Gesmundo said PAL has yet to consider whether to mount flights to Brunei.

Businessman Alfredo M. Yao said his budget airline Zest Airways, Inc. would also apply for entitlements to Australia.

"Yes, we have plans to mount flights to Australia as we are really aiming to carve niche markets in our flights. We also see some demand from there," Mr. Yao said.

As for mounting flights to Brunei, Mr. Yao said the company board is still studying it.

The country’s air panel finished air service negotiations with their counterparts from Australia last March. The two-day talks increased seat entitlements to 6,000 seats from 2,500, for flights between Manila and Clark to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

Flights between other regional airports in Australia and airports in the Philippines have no capacity or frequency restrictions.

The country also sealed new air service agreements with Brunei last April, with flight entitlements for both countries increased to two carriers from the previous one, and to seven flights a week from five.

Local carriers so far have no flights to Brunei. PAL, though, has code-sharing agreement with Royal Brunei Airlines, which flies five times a week between Manila and Brunei. — Jose Bimbo F. Santos

This article was dated 2 days ago.

[Jarden S]

It would be better if they served Australia from Cebu Mactan international Airport. Its a big market heaps of Australians visit cebu city pop is 3 million. Its always a hassle having to overnight in Manila to wait for the next flight to Cebu they need a direct flight. As last domestic flight Manila to Cebu leaves around 7pm when we arrive in Manila on the international flight at 6pm its too late for the domestic connection,.

[Andrew P]

Originally Posted by Jarden S

It would be better if they served Australia from Cebu Mactan international Airport

except if you take the overnight PAL flight via MEL

[Andrew P]

540 seat entitlements for a thrice-weekly Manila to Sydney flight, 300 seat entitlements for a twice-weekly Manila to Melbourne flight, and 360 seat entitlements for a twice-weekly Manila to Brisbane flight.

that means a 180 seat plane, as 5J have A320's which are 179 seat all economy, no IFE, etc, assume will be a pretty basic service, with one stop

unless they acquire new equipment

[Rhys Xanthis]

Please refrain from quoting the whole previous post in your post, it is not necessary, thank you - mod

well, 3+2+2=7.

via Brunei both ways likely?

[Jarden S]

In February 2009 Cebu Pacific had talks with Singapore airlines on acquiring 4 of their retired Boeing 777-200s. Cebu intends to fly to Australia, Japan and the Middle east with these aircraft, Cebu Pacific are currently applying for rights to fly to these destinations.

So it looks like we wont see them fly their A320s to Australia. I reckon the 777 will look great in their bright yellow livery and in Australia too.

[Bruce Bramwell]

Heard those 777-200ERs of SQ are heading to Europe.

[NickN]

With an entitlement of 540 seats a week to Sydney a 777-200ER would be overkill.

It would have to be an A320.

[Andrew P]

Originally Posted by Jarden S

So it looks like we wont see them fly their A320s to Australia. I reckon the 777 will look great in their bright yellow livery and in Australia too.

Maybe not

Manila - Low cost airline Cebu Pacific, JG Summit Holdings (PSE), intends to convert its remaining A320 orders from Toulouse based aircraft manufacturer Airbus, to new generation A330-300 planes after receiving offers from the France based aircraft manufacturer.

Currently, the airline has 10 pending orders for A320 series 200 planes for delivery until 2014, and inside sources said they may opt to convert as high as 8 narrow-body orders for 4 medium ranged airliners. Plans however calls for 2 outright lease and 2 wide-body purchases against 4 A320 orders. The brand new A330 will be made available before the end of the year from an aircraft leasing firm whose order was not taken by another airline company.
The next generation A330-300 offered by Airbus is similar to the ones delivered to Finnair powered with more fuel efficient General Electric CF6-80E1 engines but left to the airline its engine of choice, as it manifested to make flight runs between the Middle East, Australia, and Japan.
The Gokongwei led airline is set to make announcement soon after approval by its holding company. Cebu Pacific has already filed a petition before the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to mount flights to 3 major cities in Australia and Brunei following the conclusion of air service agreements with the two countries. It also filed applications to fly Dubai, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi in the Middle East.
"We’re very interested to operate flights to Brunei and Australia. We’ve been asking for entitlements so that we can offer low fares for these markets," Candice A. Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice-president for marketing, said.
The airline will utilize initially the Airbus 320 aircraft on the route down under with fuel stop in Darwin, Australia. Cebu Pacific sought 540 seat entitlements for a thrice-weekly Manila to Sydney flight, 300 seat entitlements for a twice-weekly Manila to Melbourne flight, and 360 seat entitlements for a twice-weekly Manila to Brisbane flight. It also applied for a petition for "designation as official Philippine carrier to Brunei" since it intend to start daily flights to Brunei’s Bandar Seri Begawan airport.

The Air Service Agreement between Australia and the Philippines increased seat entitlements to 6,000 seats from 2,500, for flights between Manila and Clark to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin and Perth. While flights between other regional airports in Australia and airports in the Philippines have no capacity or frequency restrictions.

Meanwhile, Philippine Airlines is set to fly Perth and reintroduce Brisbane to its international network next year.

[Arthur T]

Good work 5J and hope they can be true soon.
However, whilst 5J is planning to launch Australia, why doesn't DJ got back their grounded 737s and launch SYD/BNE - MNL?