19 June 2019
Low cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) has ordered 16 Airbus A330-900s with 460 seats in all-economy layout to replace its existing A330 fleet beginning 2021 in a deal valued around $4.5 billion at list price.
The airline currently operates 6 A330-300 of three different weight configurations from three different lessors.
Chief executive advisor Mike Szucs indicates that the high-density A330neo layout has been achieved with some "clever" reconfiguration of facilities such as the lavatories and will have a maximum MTOW of 251T.
Airbus has indicated that the 460-seat layout for the Cebu Pacific A330-900s will involve a door modification in order to achieve exit limits.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency's type certificate for the aircraft has an approved maximum seating capacity of 440.
Airbus said CEB A330-900 variant will be fitted with four pairs of Type A-plus exits similar to the A350 which provide emergency exit capability for 120 passengers instead of the normal size Type A size doors which limit exits to 110 passengers.
The A330-900 would have the modified exits installed at the 'door 2' and 'door 4' positions, hiking the authorised capacity.
The new aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.
The airline's widebody orders also includes purchase agreement of 10 new A321XLR which will have 220 seats earmarked for Australia, China and Japan destinations, and five additional A320neos which will have 194 seats or 3 more rows for regional destinations out of regional airports outside Manila. The order also contains options for 10 more A321neos which will have 240 seats.
The airline's chief financial officer, Andrew Huang says the narrow-body orders will be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100Gs similar to the current A321neos on order with Airbus.
Cebu Pacific should install business class on their upcoming Airbus A330-900 to compete AirAsia's AirAsia X.
ReplyDeleteNot possible at the moment. The incoming A339neo is to be certified into ultra-high capacity of up to *460* seats. That's one dense A339neo. ������
DeleteOh my goodness. Sardinas ang labas neto. grabe ang density uy!
ReplyDeleteYou can expect for an ULCC (ultra low-cost carrier) like Cebu Pacific! 😊😊😊
DeleteCguro kaya ko tong ka-dense in a short flight like 1-2gours, pro more than that hindi kna keri, sobrang dami talaga!
ReplyDeleteCorrect. Intended for high-capacity short to midhaul flights. If they would select a 251 tonnes A339, there is no problem to fly them into Melbourne, Sydney and Dubai (the sole Mideast destination). But still, a band-aid solution for Cebu Pacific because all four terminals around NAIA is at 45.082 million passengers last 2018. By 2021, NAIA cannot handle more passenger surge: around 46-48 million passengers expected to arrive at that airport as I predicted. That's why SMC wanted to build NMIA asap so that NAIA can be relieved by then and likely to be closed few years after the opening of a new airport.
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