5J Cleared to Land in America

As DOT Clears Wet Lease to fly

November 16, 2012

Low Cost Carrier Cebu Pacific(CEB) is now permitted to fly the United States Of America (US), data from the US Department of Transport said.

Cebu Pacific applied to service the route on October 17, 2012 to the United States from Manila via intermediate points to Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Guam, Saipan, and four additional points in the United States selected by the Philippines, the application shows.

The airline proposes to conduct its services pursuant to a wet lease arrangement with a duly authorized and properly supervised U.S. or foreign air carrier in view of the country's current FAA restriction. 

Cebu Pacific will introduce Guam and Saipan to its route network early next year followed by Hawaii. Preliminary unconfirmed talks by the airline suggest they would be letting the AOC of another Asian carrier based in Singapore. 

DOT restricted CEB's U.S. operations that forbid it to fly using its own aircraft and crews to the US because the Philippines is currently a Category 2 country under the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment Program.