Cebu Pacific says it sees the ongoing engine reliability issues “fully flushing itself out” in 2028, as airline executives flagged supply chain woes as its “primary constraint” to growth.
Airline chief Mike Szucs also said the number of Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-powered jets grounded continues to remain “higher than anticipated”.
Speaking at the airline’s earnings call for its third-quarter financial results, Szucs says Cebu Pacific had initially projected up to eight aircraft grounded due to engine issues. This has risen to between 12 and 14 through this year.
The higher-than-expected groundings means the airline is now forecasting capacity growth in 2026 to be in the range of 6-10%. This compares to 2025’s forecasted growth of between 10 and 12%.
“We think probably sometime in 2028 that things will be to the stage where we will be at zero [aircraft on ground],” states Szucs.
Cebu Pacific chief commercial officer Xander Lao says the airline is “close coordination” with Pratt & Whitney over the issue and only expects to see it “gradually improving” in 2026 and 2027.
Lao adds: “[The] capacity constraint is a headwind, but we do think that the resilient demand in the Philippines, disciplined revenue management, as well as the mix and pricing – which will lead to higher average fares – are offsetting a meaningful portion of the impact.”
Cebu Pacific has been vocal about the engine reliability issues, which have also impacted other operators globally. In its second-quarter earnings, Szucs railed against the “sufferance” from the groundings.
The airline swung to an operating loss of Ps122 million ($2.07 million) for the three months ended 30 September, as it battled softer travel demand, coupled with operational challenges from weather disruptions and supply chain issues.
Nonetheless, revenue was up 5% to Ps24.3 billion on the back of a 1% rise in passenger volumes.
