Cebu Pacific (CEB) received its ninth Airbus 320neo (New Engine Option) aircraft on January 1. The aircraft used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from the Airbus Hamburg facility in Germany to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila.
This aircraft delivery is first of the 10 expected brand new Airbus NEO deliveries for the year: three A320neo, four A321neo, and four A330neo.
“This SAF-powered aircraft delivery supports our sustainability strategy in shifting to a more fuel-efficient NEO fleet by 2028. We will continue prioritizing our sustainability journey as we maintain our position as the greenest airline in Asia,” said Alex Reyes, Chief Strategy Officer at Cebu Pacific.
SAF is a drop-in fuel, which can be interchangeable replacement for fossil fuels. It does not require any adaptations to the aircraft or engines and does not have any negative impact on performance or maintenance. The use of SAF results in an up to 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions across the SAF lifecycle.
CEB is the first low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia to incorporate SAF into its operations when it delivered its third A330neo in May 2022.
Its sustainability goal is in line with global aviation’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The airline has made various investments that enable it to become fuel-efficient in its operations to keep fares affordable for the passengers.
Apart from fleet modernization, the airline’s major pillars on its sustainable journey are resource optimization, which includes pushing for fuel efficiency best practices; and utilizing SAF by launching green routes by 2025.
To date, CEB’s fleet comprises of 21 A320ceo, 9 A320neo, 7 A321ceo, 10 A321neo, 4 A330ceo, 4 A330neo, 14 ATR 72-600, 6 ATR 72-500 and 2 ATR Freighters.
