CEB To Start ATR Freight Service in April

15 March 2019

Low cost carrier Cebu Pacific is set to begin its long awaited cargo service in April as it joins the cargo market by having two of its ATR 72-500 passenger aircraft converted into freighters by IPR Conversions, a Swiss based company.

Vice-President (Cargo) Alex Reyes said the first ATR72-500(F)s freighters is currently doing certification test in France and is due to arrive later this month.

Reyes said the two aircraft will continue to operate through Cebu’s subsidiary, CebGo.

IPR is a major provider of ATR freighter conversions, and won contract to modify Cebu’s ATR 72-500 which involves installing a large cargo door, allowing standard containers and pallets to be loaded.

The aircraft will have space for seven AKE unit load device containers and carry more than seven tonnes of cargo.

Both aircraft will be converted at Sabena Technics’ Dinard, France facility, a provider of MRO services in France for both military and civilian aircraft.

Reyes said the full cargo aircraft would be used mostly to support the Philippines’ expanding e-commerce businesses by taking its logistical needs further across the country.

Presently Cebu Pacific has limited capacity to carry cargo on its ATR plane due to payload restrictions of the aircraft. With the freighter it can already offer cargo capacity to majority of airports that no other carrier in the Philippines can provide.

Cebu Pacific is the largest carrier in the Philippines that also flies to most tertiary and missionary airports across the country.