Cebu Pacific Air Plans Early Fleet Expansion to Meet Growing Demand

Cebu Pacific Air is setting its sights on expanding its fleet of narrowbody aircraft even before the arrival of its newly ordered Airbus A321neos scheduled for 2029. The move comes as the airline continues to experience robust passenger and capacity growth across its domestic and international routes.

In an interview with the New Straits Times, Cebu Pacific CEO Mike Szucs revealed that while the airline already has a firm order for 70 A321neo aircraft—with options for an additional 50—there is a growing need to bolster the fleet sooner. “We anticipate that we will want some additions before 2029,” Szucs stated, citing the surge in travel demand as a key driver.

Currently, the airline operates an all-Airbus fleet of narrowbody aircraft, except for 22 ATR turboprops managed by its regional subsidiary, Cebgo. These ATRs serve routes to smaller airports with shorter runways. However, ongoing infrastructure improvements across the Philippines may soon render them unnecessary. “We only fly the ATRs because some of the runways are not long enough,” Szucs said, adding that runway expansions could allow Cebu Pacific to simplify operations by transitioning to an all-jet fleet.

As Cebu Pacific evaluates its fleet strategy, the focus remains on maintaining operational efficiency while preparing for continued expansion in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing aviation markets. Source: Cebu Pacific mulls expanding narrowbody aircraft fleet after ordering 152 Airbus A321neo