Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) has received its sixth aircraft delivery for the year, an ATR 72-600, enhancing its commitment to inter-island connectivity in the Philippines.
The new turboprop aircraft arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila on June 5. This is the 15th ATR plane of CEB in its current fleet of commissioned aircrafts.
The ATR 72-600 is one of the latest generations of twin-engine turboprop airliners produced in France and Italy by manufacturer Avions de Transport Regional (ATR). It is used by multiple airlines worldwide as a regional aircraft.
“With more than 7,100 islands in the Philippines, our commitment to serve passengers traveling between inter-island destinations requires us to invest in turboprop aircraft,” said CEB Chief Executive Officer Michael Szucs.
“This aircraft delivery brings our turboprop fleet to 15, and we will be receiving our sixteenth ATR turboprop in October. With this, CEB will be operating the largest turboprop fleet in the Philippines, enabling us to serve more passengers across the country,” he added.
CEB operates its turboprop fleet in 25 domestic destinations, servicing almost 2.5 million passengers yearly. Some of the destinations that can only be accessible by turboprop and smaller aircraft include Camiguin, Calbayog, Siargao, Masbate, Surigao, Busuanga, and Naga.
ATR says that the 72-600 can access short, narrow, and unpaved runways, and can handle steep approaches and high-altitude landings and takeoffs. It carries around 78 passengers and has a maximum range of 1,300 kilometers, depending on payload.
Apart from ATRs, CEB also operates a diversified commercial fleet mix of eight (8) Airbus 330s, 39 Airbus 320s, and 21 Airbus 321s, enabling the widest network coverage in the Philippines.