In an effort to better meet the rising demand for air travel and bolster the airline's operational resilience, Cebu Pacific (CEB) announced on Tuesday that the airline received its 13th aircraft delivery this year, a brand-new Airbus A320neo.

CEB said that after taking off from Airbus' plant in Tianjin, China, on a delivery flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the aircraft touched down at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport on 25 October. CEB formally used its newly delivered aircraft on 1 November.

CEB Chief Strategy Officer Alex Reyes said that this aircraft delivery supports their goal to make their operations more reliable while continuing to provide safe, reliable, and affordable air travel to their passengers. Their ongoing investment in SAF is also a crucial step for their decarbonization efforts, paving the way for a more sustainable future in air travel.

Reyes added that CEB is expecting a total of 19 aircraft deliveries for 2023, including six deliveries before the end of the year.

With its varied fleet mix of 74 aircraft, CEB operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, providing the greatest network coverage in the Philippines. Six ATR turboprops, 33 Airbus 320, 19 Airbus 321, and 16 Airbus 330 aircraft are in its fleet.

CEB also aims to transition to an all-NEO fleet by 2028 and will incorporate SAF for its entire commercial network by 2030.

Last 18 October, the airline signed a memorandum of understanding with Neste, the world's leading producer of SAF, to explore the supply and purchase of SAF in Asia Pacific. A week later, the airline flew its first-ever commercial flight powered by SAF from Japan.

The airline said that SAF is a drop-in fuel with similar characteristics as conventional jet fuels. It does not require any adaptations to the aircraft or engines and does not have any negative impact on performance. The use of SAF results in up to an 80% reduction in carbon emissions across the fuel's lifecycle.