PAL, Cebu Pacific report better on-time performance in October —DOTr

Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific continued to post improvements in on-time performance (OTP) in October, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported Monday.

In a statement, the DOTr reiterated PAL’s earlier statement that the flag carrier achieved an all-time high OTP of 92% in October.

OTP takes into consideration the number of departures and arrivals made within 15 minutes of schedule, including canceled flights.

“This achievement was made possible because the DOTr, MIAA, and CAAP acted with determination to build rapid exit taxiways at NAIA, enhance air navigation systems, renovate runways and taxiways, improve the coordination of airport slots and take other initiatives to promote a more efficient Philippine aviation industry,” PAL senior vice president for airline oprations Stanley Ng said.

Meanwhile, budget carrier Cebu Pacific posted an 84.71% OTP in October, an improvement from 80.66% in September.

“The improved OTP is a result of the close cooperation and coordination with concerned government agencies to minimize delays across our network,” said Cebu Pacific chief operations officer Michael Ivan Shau.

“The industry is also better coordinated so that when there are weather disruptions, such as lightning alerts that close the airfield, we are able to minimize the impact,” he added.

Both PAL and Cebu Pacific, along with other Philippine-based operators, in June committed to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) by improving OTP.

“I am happy that months after we signed the Pledge of Commitment, we continue to see improvements in OTP across the industry,” Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

“I hope these efforts are sustained to make air travel in the Philippines more efficient and comfortable,” he added. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News