BUDGET CARRIER Cebu Pacific, operated by listed Cebu Air, Inc. (CEB), has received its turboprop aircraft, marking its sixth aircraft delivery for the year.
“This aircraft delivery brings our turboprop fleet to 15, and we will be receiving our sixteenth ATR turboprop in October,” Cebu Pacific Chief Executive Officer Michael B. Szücs said in a media release on Tuesday.
“With this, CEB will be operating the largest turboprop fleet in the Philippines, enabling us to serve more passengers across the country,” he added.
A turboprop is an aircraft powered by a gas turbine engine that drives a propeller, offering high fuel efficiency and reliability for short-haul and regional flights.
For the year, Cebu Pacific is expecting to receive 17 aircraft, which would help boost the company’s operations, it said.
The ATR 72-600 arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on June 5, the budget carrier said, adding that this new aircraft will strengthen the company’s inter-island travel.
The ATR 72-600 aircraft can carry around 78 passengers. It is said to be used by many airlines as a regional aircraft because it can access short, narrow, and unpaved runways, Cebu Pacific said.
Cebu Pacific said the ATR 72-600 is one of the latest generations of twin-engine turboprops produced by the Italian aircraft manufacturer Avions de Transport Régional (ATR).
The budget carrier operates a diversified commercial fleet composed of eight Airbus 330s, 39 Airbus 320s, and 21 Airbus 321s.
To date, it flies to 35 domestic and 24 international destinations in Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. — A.E.O. Jose
