Airbus and Cebu Pacific have confirmed an order for 70 A321neo jets at a special signing ceremony in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.
The new purchase agreement was signed on October 2, 2024, by Mike Szücs, CEO of Cebu Pacific, and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business at Airbus.
According to Cebu Pacifc, the firm order is for 102 A321neos including purchase rights for 50 A320neo family aircraft. However the acquisition has a minimum commitment to only 70 A321neo aircraft.
At the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2024, Cebu Pacific, Airbus, and Pratt & Whitney announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for up to 152 A320neo family aircraft.
It is yet to be confirmed if the new firm order has additional options for more A320neo family aircraft.
“The selection of Airbus A321neo underscores our focus on operational efficiency, sustainability, and innovation, ensuring that we continue to deliver the highest standards of service while significantly reducing our carbon footprint. This milestone signals our ongoing dedication to expanding air travel accessibility and affordability, while supporting the Philippine’s broader economic growth and connectivity goals,” Szücs said.
Cebu Pacific currently operates 61 A320 family aircraft on its regional network and operates nine A330 widebodies on high density routes in the region.
Following the latest order, the airline’s backlog with Airbus now stands at 94 A320neo family aircraft and seven A330neo.
“The A320 Family has supported Cebu Pacific’s domestic and short-haul international network growth over the last two decades. We’re grateful to the airline for its continued endorsement of our best selling single-aisle product line. The A321neo is highly regarded for its unparalleled economics, performance and fuel efficiency,” Benoît de Saint-Exupéry said.
He added: “We’re confident that these additional A321neo aircraft will contribute strongly to the all-Airbus operator’s next phase of expansion as one of Asia-Pacific’s leading low-cost carriers.”