The order, also announced at the ongoing Paris Air Show, includes options for 10 additional planes of the same model and will serve Cebu Pacific’s domestic routes, the airline said.
Manila, Philippines (AFP) – Budget Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific has ordered 16 ATR 72-600 turboprop planes from the France-based manufacturer in a deal worth $673 million, the two companies said in a joint statement Tuesday.
The order, also announced at the ongoing Paris Air Show, includes options for 10 additional planes of the same model and will serve Cebu Pacific’s domestic routes, they said.
Deliveries are to start between July and September next year.
“This order is an affirmation of our commitment to extend the convenience of affordable air travel to even more communities,” Cebu Pacific chief executive and president Lance Gokongwei said in the statement.
The airline, the largest in the Philippines based on passengers carried, now flies eight ATR 72-500 aircraft, which will be retired as the new short-haul aircraft enter service on its domestic routes.
The newer version on order will be equipped for the first time with the Armonia cabin, the widest in the turboprop market, the joint statement said.
About 330 ATRs, including more than 100 ATR 72-600s, are now operated by 55 airlines in the Asia-Pacific region, it added.