FLEET - Philippines' Cebu Pacific soon to place A320N order

Cebu Pacific Air (5J, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) is closing in on an aircraft order for as many as 150 A320neo-type aircraft, according to Bloomberg. But the all Airbus operator says while an order is in the works, no final commitment has been made.

In October, ch-aviation reported that the Filippino LCC was preparing to issue a request for proposals seeking between 100 and 150 aircraft. In January, via a stock exchange filing, Cebu Pacific confirmed preparations to place an order were underway.

While a longtime Airbus customer, CEO Mike Szucs had previously said that he would be happy to place an order with ALBOE-o if their offer better met the carrier's needs. He also added that he had no interest in splitting the order between different manufacturers.

"The company confirms that discussions and negotiations are ongoing with regards to a fleet order. This potential transaction is still in the closing stages and no final order has been made," Cebu Pacific said in a statement in response to the June 13 Bloomberg report.

That report, citing unnamed sources close to talks, suggested the upcoming Farnborough Air Show was shaping up to be the likely spot to announce the order. The report said it would be awarded to Airbus and be for the A320N-type. If correct, it will be the largest aircraft order by any Philippines-based airline.

According to ch-aviation fleets data, Cebu Pacific operates a fleet of 68 aircraft, including nineteen A320-200s, eighteen A320-200Ns, seven A321-200s, fourteen A321-200NX, two A330-300s, and eight A330-900Ns. The airline also has an outstanding order book comprising eight A320-200Ns, nine A321-200NX, ten A321-200NY(XLR)s, and eight A330-900Ns. Cebu Pacific also operates a subsidiary airline called Cebgo (DG, Manila Ninoy Aquino International), which operates ATR - Avions de Transport Régional turboprops.

Last month, Szucs told an investor's briefing that Cebu Pacific would focus on flights within a four-hour radius of the Philippines, giving it a catchment area comprising two billion people. He said he had no real interest in pursuing a long-haul strategy, and existing flights beyond that four-hour range (to Dubai International, Melbourne Tullamarine, and Sydney Kingsford Smith) were network outliers.

CH Aviation