Sustainability is now the name of the game in the airline industry. Manufacturers are now focusing on aircraft with less carbon emissions and that consumes less fuel without sacrificing payload and performance. Cebu Pacific is one airline who has begun prioritizing sustainability and efficiency in its operations through three pillars.
To achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, Cebu Pacific is planning to accomplish this through fleet modernization, SAF or Sustainable Aviation Fuel, and resource optimization.
Fleet Modernization
Cebu Pacific’s goal is to operate an all Airbus NEO fleet by 2027. This will mean 16 A330-900neo, 10 A320neo, 32 A321neo, and hopefully, 10 A321XLRs. Using higher bypass turbofan engines, these planes have around 10% to 20% lower fuel burn than their predecessors. NEO, which also stands for New Engine Option, will allow Cebu Pacific to carry more passengers with more excellent range but with less fuel consumption.
These engines, such as the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G and the Rolls Royce Trent 7000, can also operate using SAF or Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
By operating an all-Airbus NEO fleet, Cebu Pacific is set to become a greener airline, given the efficiency of these kinds of aircraft. To date, Cebu Pacific’s NEO fleet count stands at three A330neos, ten A321neos, and eight A320neos.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel
SAF or Sustainable Aviation Fuel is a “drop-in” replacement for fossil fuels produced from renewable resources. Using SAF results in an up to 85% reduction in carbon emissions across the SAF lifecycle. The chemical and physical characteristics of SAF are almost identical to those of conventional jet fuel, and these can be safely mixed with regular jet fuel to varying degrees. SAF does not require any adaptations to the aircraft or engines and does not negatively impact performance or maintenance.
In the past months, Cebu Pacific had been taking delivery of new aircraft while using SAF, an A330neo and an A320neo. This made Cebu Pacific the first low-cost airline in Asia to use SAF on its plane. They aim to use SAF by launching green routes in 2025 and using SAF for its entire network by 2030.
This also made Cebu Pacific the first local airline to make use of SAF.
“Cebu Pacific is committed to invest time and resources to be the greenest airline in Asia and one of the greenest in the world. We conduct our business in an ethical manner, with the welfare of our employees, the community, and the environment in mind,” said Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific Vice President for Marketing and Customer Experience.
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