Cebu Pacific Flights to Europe Have to Wait Until 2014

In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said that Cebu Pacific will have to wait until March of next year at the earliest before they will know if they can mount flights to Europe. 

Copyright Photo: Angelo Agcamaran/PPSG

According to John Andrews, Deputy Director General of CAAP, Cebu Pacific's petition to request a lifting of the ban imposed by the European Union prohibiting the airline from flying to Europe will need to wait until next year as the Philippine government is currently focused on rehabilitation and relief efforts in the various areas devastated by Typhoon Haiyan.

Andrews noted that the meeting scheduled for November between officials from Cebu Pacific and the European Union had to be postponed due to Typhoon Haiyan. It is now likely that a presentation will be made by the budget carrier in January. But the European Union only reviews airline compliance cases every March and November. Last July, the European Union lifted the ban on Philippine Airlines which resumed flights to Europe last month with a direct service to London Heathrow Airport. 

Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific has also expressed interest in serving the United States with flights to Guam and Hawaii. However, that service is pending an upgrade of the country's aviation safety rating by the US Federal Aviation Administration from Category 2 to Category 1 status.