Philippine Low-Cost Carrier Cebu Pacific Attributes Flight Cancellations to Pratt and Whitney Engine Delays

Cebu Pacific, a well-known low-cost carrier in the Philippines, recently faced a series of flight cancellations that sparked concerns among customers. During a Senate hearing on June 21, 2023, the airline attributed these operational disruptions to engine manufacturer Pratt and Whitney. According to Alexander Lao, the chief commercial officer of Cebu Pacific, the global aviation industry has been grappling with Pratt & Whitney engine issues, causing delays in jet engine deliveries.

Lao revealed that the airline had foreseen the possibility of a global shortage of jet engines and, therefore, placed an order with Pratt and Whitney as early as 2022. However, in March 2023, they received distressing news from the American engine manufacturer: “there were no more engines” available. This unexpected turn of events forced Cebu Pacific to make necessary adjustments to its flight schedules to minimize the impact on passengers. Unfortunately, this resulted in the unavoidable disruption of some flights that had been scheduled and sold months in advance.

In response to the airline’s explanation, one of the senators presiding over the hearing questioned Cebu Pacific’s aggressive marketing of airfare promotions, such as the enticing PHP 1.00 ($0.018) fares, despite being aware of the jet engine shortage and limitations.

Frustrated passengers took to social media to share video clips of their experiences dealing with Cebu Pacific’s flight cancellations over the past few months.

Pratt & Whitney, for its part, stated to AeroTime that it anticipates the supply chain pressures to ease in the coming months, which will result in increased output of new and overhauled engines. The company is also actively working on providing direct logistical support to its suppliers and developing solutions to improve the time on wing for their engines.

As the airline industry navigates through these challenges, customers are hopeful that the situation will improve and flights will resume as scheduled in the near future.