Cebu Pacific inks deal with Bulgaria Air to boost fleet during holidays

Gokongwei-led budget carrier Cebu Pacific on Thursday announced it has entered into a “damp lease” agreement with Bulgaria Air to boost its fleet to meet passenger demand during the peak holiday travel season.

In a statement, Cebu Pacific said it leased two Airbus A320ceo aircraft from Bulgaria Air that will service four domestic routes from Manila to Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Cagayan de Oro from December 2025 to January 2026. 

The two leased A320ceos each have a capacity of 180 seats.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) defines “damp lease” as an arrangement wherein a lessor provides an aircraft to a lessee, including its cockpit crew but not the cabin crew.

Under the agreement, Bulgaria Air will provide the aircraft, pilots, maintenance, and insurance, while Cebu Pacific will utilize its cabin crew.

The budget carrier said the national carrier of the Republic of Bulgaria has many years of experience in the damp lease of aircraft, having partnered with airlines all over the world.  

“We are continuously exploring ways to expand our fleet and ensure operational resilience,” said Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer Xander Lao. 

“Our damp lease agreement with Bulgaria Air will allow us to meet strong travel demand from December 2025 to January 2026,” said Lao.

“We are pleased to partner with Cebu Pacific—one of the most dynamically developing airlines in Asia,” said chairman of the management board of Bulgarian Airways Group Hristo Todorov. 

“This collaboration is yet another testament to the high level of trust and professionalism that our team delivers in the implementation of international leasing projects." — VBL, GMA Integrated News