Everything I know about Cebu Pacific

A lot of people have stumbled into my blog by searching for info about Cebu Pacific. I’ve made a short list of answers to frequently asked questions (or search phrases/keywords in this case).

Answers are based on my experiences with the airline, other traveler’s experiences and from Cebu Pacific’s website. I am in no way affiliated with Cebu Pacific. I am not and have never worked for the airline.

Hope this helps!

How often does Cebu Pacific have seat sales?
I don’t know the frequency, but they have one usually near the end of summer (April/May) for flights during the lean season. Your best bet is to sign up for the Cebu Pacific mailing list. They regularly send out notifications if there’s another seat sale.

Why aren’t they serving any refreshments onboard?
Cebu Pacific is a low cost carrier, meaning that in exchange of your cheap fare, you won’t be getting some of the perks you get from full-service carriers. This means no food or beverages (but available for sale onboard at outrageous prices), no entertainment consoles, non-existent legroom, landing and taking off from budget terminals, strict baggage limits and sometimes non-transferable, non-refundable tickets.

I didn’t get my e-mail confirmation, what do I do?
Call the hotline (Manila: +63-2-70-20-888, Cebu: +63-32-230-8888). It’s a pain to get through, but it’s necessary to confirm your flight bookings to save you the trouble later on. I remember not getting an e-mail confirmation when I booked online through their website. It was a good thing I thought to print the confirmation in my browser. I never got that confirmation, but the print out I had worked perfectly as our e-ticket as it has the booking reference number, our names and confirmation of payment.

How much is the allowed check-in luggage?
Cebu Pacific allows for 15 kilos per passenger for both domestic and international flights (except for the Boracay/Caticlan flights, which only allows 10 kilos). In excess of 15 kilos, you have to pay Php34 per kilo for domestic flights. Excess baggage charges vary for international destination, so if you think you’ll be going over the baggage allowance, contact the Cebu Pacific hotline for details. To get an idea how much they charge for excess baggage in international flights, it’s Php300 per kilo for Singapore and Php200 for Hong Kong.

Which airport does Cebu Pacific use?
Manila: Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (Domestic and International flights starting August 1, 2008)
Singapore: Budget Terminal at Changi Airport
Kuala Lumpur: Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT), KLIA
Bangkok: Suvarnabhumi Airport
Jakarta: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
Hong Kong: Hong Kong International Airport
Taipei: Chang Kai Shek International Airport

UPDATE: Starting July 22, 2008, some of Cebu Pacific’s flights have been transfered to the new Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. These flights include flights to and from Caticlan, Naga, Tuguegarao, Laoag and San Jose (Mindoro). Starting August 1, 2008, all of Cebu Pacific flights, both domestic and international will now use NAIA Terminal 3. For more information, please visit the Cebu Pacific website.

How much is their Go Fare? Is this a promo fare?
Go Fares are Cebu Pacific’s starting fare for each destination. These are offered year-round, but as the date of departure nears and as seats for each flight fills up, this fare goes up. Domestic Go Fares starts at Php288, while international Go Fares starts at Php1,499. This fare is for one-way travel excluding taxes and surcharges (otherwise interpreted as “hidden charges” ).

How much can I expect to pay during their promo?
Here’s what you do: check the taxes and surcharges you have to pay for your flight segment (do this by making a test booking. As long as you don’t click on Confirm, you’re not expected to pay for it). Multiply the promo fare by 2 (if flying round trip) then add in the taxes and surcharge.

For example, if I was able to avail of the Piso fares to Bohol, I’d be paying around Php 1,800 for a round trip ticket (Php 1,740 for fuel and insurance surcharge).

How much do I expect to pay in taxes and surcharges?
Fees vary depending on destination. Value Added Tax (VAT) starts at Value Added Tax PHP 238.92, while Fuel and Insurance Surcharge starts at Php 1,400.00 for domestic travel. For international travel, VAT start at Php 557.00, Fuel and Insurance Surcharge starts at Php 1,854.00.

What is Cebu Pacific’s international flight schedule?

This schedule is based on the schedule I got from the Cebu Pacific website. This document is available for download here.

Remember, 12:40 am means 40 minutes past midnight, while 12:40 pm means 40 minutes past noon.

That’s all I have at the moment. Got more questions or have an answer? Send it my way and let’s share the love.