Cebu Pacific Takes Delivery of its First A321neo Aircraft Powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF™ Engines

MANILA, Philippines, Jan. 31, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) and Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB) celebrated delivery of the airline's first Airbus A321neo aircraft, powered by the Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine.

Pratt & Whitney will also provide Cebu Pacific with a 10-year EngineWise® service agreement to support engine performance services and maximize aircraft availability.

"We are very excited to add the first GTF-powered A321neo to the Cebu Pacific fleet. The aircraft will enable us to increase capacity on popular routes, while at the same time benefiting from the lowest operating costs in this size category," said Lance Gokongwei, President and CEO of Cebu Pacific.

Cebu Pacific, a leading carrier in the Philippines, has 31 remaining A321neos on firm order and eight options. To support expansion plans, Cebu Pacific has also leased five Airbus A320neo powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines.

"Cebu Pacific previously flew DC-9 aircraft with Pratt & Whitney's JT8D engines, and we are proud to be powering the airline's next generation aircraft," said Rick Deurloo, senior vice president of sales, marketing and customer support at Pratt & Whitney. "We are confident that the clean, fuel-efficient geared fan technology will provide Cebu Pacific with economic and environmental advantages for many years to come."

Since entering into service in early 2016, the GTF engine has demonstrated its promised ability to reduce fuel burn by 16 percent, to reduce NOx emissions by 50 percent to the regulatory standard, and to lower the noise footprint by 75 percent.

Cebu Pacific takes delivery of its first A321neo

Cebu Pacific, the largest low-cost carrier in the Philippines has taken delivery of its first A321neo.

The new addition complements the Manila-based airline’s Airbus fleet, which currently includes 43 A320 Family aircraft and eight A330-300 widebodies. 

Cebu Pacific has ordered 32 A321neo aircraft directly from Airbus, and will receive another five A320neo leased from Dublin-based Avolon. These will support the carrier’s expansion and fleet renewal programme. 

Selected for their outstanding operational efficiency, comfort and range, these new-generation single-aisle aircraft will allow the fast-growing carrier to expand its Asia-Pacific network. 

The A321neo aircraft for Cebu Pacific features 236 seats in a single-class configuration. The aircraft is powered by Pratt and Whitney PurePower GTF engines.

The A320neo and its derivative aircraft family members are the world’s best-selling single aisle aircraft, with over 6,100 orders from over 100 customers since its launch in 2010. It has pioneered and incorporated the latest technologies, including its new generation engines and the industry's reference cabin design, delivering 20 percent fuel cost savings alone. The A320neo also offers significant environmental benefits, with nearly 50 percent reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft.