Page 16 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2019 Online Magazine

Why is the Philippines considered advent of new business models require interaction with custom-
as a country ripe for aerospace ers--they’re used to getting information immediately. There’s no
investment? more ‘i’ll get back to you.’ We have to enable our frontliners with the
tools and information to respond quickly and even to decide quickly
Even with the expansion of the Philippine and provide the best possible information. What most passengers
aviation industry over the last 20 years, less are looking for is not a decision but information. Technology has
than 50 per cent of people have travelled via enabled us to be much more pro-active in reaching out to our pas-
air as compared with Malaysia or Singapore. sengers to inform them about flight disruptions and such.
People here are used to taking the bus and the
boat--whereas air travel can be exponentially In the past couple years, we’ve invested technology that moves
convenient and not as expensive as it used to towards a “paperless cockpit,” by providing the flight crew with
be. There is still much room to develop Clark as electronic flight bags. We’ve also invested in a system that allows
a secondary domestic hub. There is also strong our frontliners at the airport to help passengers and guests quickly
demand for inbound flights from North Asia into and more efficiently.
Cebu, which we have turned into our beach hub
as we fly to key island destinations from there. Philippine aviation safety standards are at risk of

A few days ago, Philippine Airlines being downgraded to “unwanted state” by the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
sealed an investment agreement What are your thoughts?
with Japan’s ANA Holdings.
How will it impact Cebu Pacific’s There is pending legislation in Philippine Congress that proposes
expansion plans into North Japan? to create a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and an
act of Congress is also needed to revise the duties and functions
ANA’s investment in Philippine Airlines is good of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) as the
for the industry. We have had plans to boost agency acts as aviation regulator, airport operator and investigator
capacity in key destinations in North Asia, espe- of air traffic incidents. Certainly, it’s a risk, but we are optimistic that
cially with new aircraft. measures will be taken to avoid that situation

Cebu Pacific has limited its risk Tell us about the pressure an airline in this region
by not following other Southeast faces in resolving the current regulatory issues
Asian LCCs in establishing overseas related to safety?
A5. JVs and placing large aircraft Cebu Pacific puts passengers’ safety and security on top priority.
orders. What does the future hold? We adhere to procedures defined and recognized as international

In keeping with our strengths, we’ve banded standards to augment airport security measures and ensure all
together with other low-cost carriers to form passengers and employees are safe and secure. We continue to
Value Alliance. This allows us to pursue growth improve our processes and supplement the efforts of the airport
and expansion as individual airlines while pool- authorities and the Philippine government Transportation Security
ing our strengths to create a very wide route in maintaining safe and secure air travel.
network and the best value to all our passen-
gers. What other new routes and expansion plans in
the offing?
There is always a need for We will announce new routes as soon as we can and North Asia is
new strategies to differentiate an area we seriously looking at, but we’ll make the announcements
oneself from competitors. Digital in due time
innovation is increasingly becoming
a key factor. What is Cebu Pacific’s
plan in that direction? “COMPETITORS ARE RAPIDLY MOVING, AND
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS RAPIDLY THE FACE OF
Competitors are rapidly moving, and digital GIVING THE CONSUMER MORE OPTIONS. WE
technology is rapidly the face of giving the con-
sumer more options. We have to be more agile. HAVE TO BE MORE AGILE. WE ARE INCREASINGLY
We are increasingly using digital technologies, USING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING
including analytics, to do direct marketing and ANALYTICS, TO DO DIRECT MARKETING AND AS A
as a way to improve customer service, as way WAY TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE, AS WAY OF
of improving the entire customer experience.
IMPROVING THE ENTIRE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE”
People can now express themselves and the Cebu Pacific, President and CEO, Lance Gokongwei

16 | January/February 2019 WWW .GBP .COM.SG/ AAA