Manila, 14 June 2019 – Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB) fully supports the government’s initiative to fast-track the development of Sangley airport. The Philippines’ leading carrier welcomes the plan to turn the air force base into a new facility to complement the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila.
“The transfer of General Aviation—or private aircraft operations to Sangley — is a quick win and will yield immediate positive results for NAIA,” said Michael Ivan Shau, Chief Operations Officer of Cebu Pacific. “As an initial step, we have committed to establish our turboprop cargo operations at Sangley.”
Cebu Pacific is in the final phase of converting two of its ATR 72-500 passenger aircraft into full freighter planes—the only commercial passenger airline in the Philippines to have specialized aircraft to transport cargo. The first of the two freighter aircraft is expected to enter into service before August 2019.
Turbo-prop aircraft—such as the ATR fleet operated by Cebu Pacific subsidiary Cebgo, are typically used in airports with runways less than 1.2 kilometers long—which is too short for jet aircraft. Only about one-third of the 90 airports in the Philippines can land jets.
Cebu Pacific flies to 37 domestic destinations, including routes where jet operations are not possible such as Marinduque, Batanes, Busuanga, Camiguin and Siargao.
