Cebu Pacific gives 50-millionth passenger unlimited travel pass

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific Air on Thursday awarded a one-year, unlimited travel pass to an Austrian man — the airline's 50 millionth passenger since it started operations on Mar. 8, 1996. President Benigno Aquino III and Cebu Pacific president and CEO Lance Gokongwei personally gave the travel pass to Harold Toifi at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Terminal 3 in Manila. Toifi, together with his wife, arrived from Beijing, China to spend their honeymoon in Palawan, home to an amazing variety of flora and fauna. Cebu Pacific — the first low-fare airline in Asia — said the launch of its Beijing flights last September strengthened the carrier's operations in Greater China. In a statement, Gokongwei said Cebu Pacific will fly 50 million more passengers in four years. "What we achieved in 14 years, we plan to achieve by 2015." In 1996, Cebu Pacific began its daily flights to Manila, Cebu, and Iloilo. On Nov. 22, 2001, the airline started flying to Hong Kong. Flights to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, and China were later introduced. "Since 1996, we have grown to become the Philippines' number one airline, offering the most number of flights, operating the most extensive route network in the Philippines, and flying to most Southeast Asian nations," Gokongwei said. The airline is buying five more brand-new Airbus A320s to finish 2011 with a fleet of 37 aircraft. An additional 16 Airbus A320 aircraft will be delivered from 2012 to 2014, according to him. "Our transfer of both international and domestic operations to Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal-3 in 2008 allowed us to provide a better airport experience to our passengers," Gokongwei said. Cebu Pacific's international destinations include Bangkok, Beijing, Brunei, Busan, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, and Taipei. The airline also flies to 33 domestic destinations from its four operational hubs in Manila, Clark, Cebu, and Davao. — JE/JA/VS, GMANews.TV