Cebu Pacific (CEB) is optimistic the aviation and tourism industries are on the way to further recovery and growth by 2022.
Alex Reyes, CEB head of strategy, said in a stakeholder virtual event the airline plans to restore 84 percent of its domestic and 39 percent of its international pre-pandemic capacity in 2022 given higher travel demand.
CEB is operating 60 percent of its pre-pandemic capacity this month, higher than last month’s 40 percent capacity, supported by the resumption of multiple daily frequencies in Boracay, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Bohol and General Santos, following the easing of travel restrictions.
For international destinations, CEB will also resume its operations to Fukuoka, Japan; Bangkok, Thailand; and Taiwan this month.
“We continue to rebuild our domestic and international network to support tourism growth in 2022 while continuing to promote safe and responsible travel,” said Candice Iyog, CEB vice president for marketing and customer experience.
The Philippines saw an 84 percent drop in foreign arrivals in 2020, receiving 1.32 million visitors, compared to 8.26 million in 2019. Japan, South Korea and China are its biggest tourism markets.
CEB said it is prepared to meet higher demand in 2022 with the addition of six new aircraft this year — two A321neo, one A320neo, two A330neo and one ATR 72-600.
“We’ve already taken deliveries of the two A321neos, the A330 and the A320. Another A330neo, along with the ATR 72-600, are expected to arrive,” said Reyes.
