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EU lifts ban on Cebu Pacific, allows budget airline in European skies
(Updated 8:02 p.m.) Just hours after the Philippines regained Category 1 status from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aviation industry garnered another milestone—this time from the European Union, which lifted the ban on Cebu Air Inc., operator of Cebu Pacific, allowing the budget carrier to fly in European airspace, officials from the EU and Manila revealed Thursday.
"The decision of the European Commission to lift the ban on Cebu Pacific shows the ability of Philippine authorities and business to work with the EU to raise standards and create economic opportunity," EU Charge d'Affaires at the Delegation to the Philippines Julian Vassallo said in a statement.
"Having demonstrated their commitment and capacity to adhere to international standards, we heartily welcome Cebu Pacific to European skies," he said.
During the briefing, Vassallo said CAAP and Cebu Pacific representatives on January 28 were first invited to a technical meeting in Brussels to discuss safety actions in greater detail.
Both were again invited on March 26 to present evidence on the oversight exercised by CAAP and the ability of Cebu Pacific to comply with relevant aviation safety regulations, he added.
"The Air Safety Committee made a unanimous recommendation on the basis of the evidence it heard...[which] was endorsed by the full College of European Commissioners," Vassallo said.
"That leaves me with great pleasure of announcing to you all that Cebu Pacific Air has been taken off the EU list of banned airlines," he added.
This milestone is in recognition of the sustained efforts of the Philippines to raise its standards in air safety across the board, according to the EU official.
"For this reason I would like to inform you that the European Commission is likely to mount another EU assessment mission to the Philippines later in the year...with prospect to lift the ban on the Philippine aviation as a whole," Vassallo said.
In response, CAAP director general William Hotchkiss III said: "We are looking forward to the day EU will come over and assess us one more time to possibly lift ban on all Philippine carrier."
Meanwhile, the lifting of the ban of Cebu Pacific is another stride in Philippine aviation, Hotchkiss said.
"We share in Cebu Pacific's enthusiasm to be a bridge of heritage and culture, as well as trade and commerce, that link the two most prolific regions in the world, Europe and Asia," he said.
"We join their elation of being the other Philippine air carrier proudly flying our national flag and making a solid commercial presence in the European continent," he added.
Network expansion
Cebu Pacific is the second Philippine carrier the EU allowed to fly to Europe after the 2010 ban.
"We welcome this development, a testament to Cebu Pacific's commitment to safety and full compliance with the international aviation safety standards," Lance Gokongwei, Cebu Pacific president and CEO, noted in the same statement.
"This would not have been possible without the full support of the Philippine government, and especially the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines," he said.
"This enables Cebu Pacific to continue flying to where the Filipinos are. With nearly a million Filipinos working in the EU, we look forward to offering CEB's trademark lowest fares, and the most extensive route network in the Philippines,"ÂÂ Gokongwei added.
With the lifting of EU ban, Gokongwei said in the briefing that Cebu Pacific's network is about to get bigger, with over 50 aircrafts to be delivered until 2021.
"We have not yet made definitive decision on where to fly but definitely we'd like to serve the one million Filipinos in EU," he said, noting the airline is interested in offering a 1 euro fare in the future.
In July 2013, flag carrier Philippine Airlines was allowed to fly to Europe three years after the EU banned Philippine carriers for failing to comply with international safety standards.
Last November, Andrews said CAAP deferred the action on the bid of Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific to fly to and from Europe to March as the more pressing issue at that time was the relief operations for Typhoon Yolanda.
The EU blocked direct flights from the Philippines based on safety assessments by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2010. — VS/BM, GMA News
"The decision of the European Commission to lift the ban on Cebu Pacific shows the ability of Philippine authorities and business to work with the EU to raise standards and create economic opportunity," EU Charge d'Affaires at the Delegation to the Philippines Julian Vassallo said in a statement.
"Having demonstrated their commitment and capacity to adhere to international standards, we heartily welcome Cebu Pacific to European skies," he said.
During the briefing, Vassallo said CAAP and Cebu Pacific representatives on January 28 were first invited to a technical meeting in Brussels to discuss safety actions in greater detail.
Both were again invited on March 26 to present evidence on the oversight exercised by CAAP and the ability of Cebu Pacific to comply with relevant aviation safety regulations, he added.
"The Air Safety Committee made a unanimous recommendation on the basis of the evidence it heard...[which] was endorsed by the full College of European Commissioners," Vassallo said.
"That leaves me with great pleasure of announcing to you all that Cebu Pacific Air has been taken off the EU list of banned airlines," he added.
This milestone is in recognition of the sustained efforts of the Philippines to raise its standards in air safety across the board, according to the EU official.
"For this reason I would like to inform you that the European Commission is likely to mount another EU assessment mission to the Philippines later in the year...with prospect to lift the ban on the Philippine aviation as a whole," Vassallo said.
In response, CAAP director general William Hotchkiss III said: "We are looking forward to the day EU will come over and assess us one more time to possibly lift ban on all Philippine carrier."
Meanwhile, the lifting of the ban of Cebu Pacific is another stride in Philippine aviation, Hotchkiss said.
"We share in Cebu Pacific's enthusiasm to be a bridge of heritage and culture, as well as trade and commerce, that link the two most prolific regions in the world, Europe and Asia," he said.
"We join their elation of being the other Philippine air carrier proudly flying our national flag and making a solid commercial presence in the European continent," he added.
Network expansion
Cebu Pacific is the second Philippine carrier the EU allowed to fly to Europe after the 2010 ban.
"We welcome this development, a testament to Cebu Pacific's commitment to safety and full compliance with the international aviation safety standards," Lance Gokongwei, Cebu Pacific president and CEO, noted in the same statement.
"This would not have been possible without the full support of the Philippine government, and especially the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines," he said.
"This enables Cebu Pacific to continue flying to where the Filipinos are. With nearly a million Filipinos working in the EU, we look forward to offering CEB's trademark lowest fares, and the most extensive route network in the Philippines,"ÂÂ Gokongwei added.
With the lifting of EU ban, Gokongwei said in the briefing that Cebu Pacific's network is about to get bigger, with over 50 aircrafts to be delivered until 2021.
"We have not yet made definitive decision on where to fly but definitely we'd like to serve the one million Filipinos in EU," he said, noting the airline is interested in offering a 1 euro fare in the future.
In July 2013, flag carrier Philippine Airlines was allowed to fly to Europe three years after the EU banned Philippine carriers for failing to comply with international safety standards.
Last November, Andrews said CAAP deferred the action on the bid of Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific to fly to and from Europe to March as the more pressing issue at that time was the relief operations for Typhoon Yolanda.
The EU blocked direct flights from the Philippines based on safety assessments by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2010. — VS/BM, GMA News
Tags: cebupacific
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