Philippines
A Cebu Pacific Airbus A320 at Legazpi Airport in the Philippines.
A Cebu Pacific Airbus A320 at Legazpi Airport in the Philippines.

On August 26, 1988 the first low-cost carrier in the Philippines was established and launched operations on March 8, 1996. It was founded as Cebu Air (later Cebu Pacific Air), and subsequently acquired by JG Summit Holdings (owned by John Gokongwei). Cebu Pacific served initially Domestic routes at cut-price fares around the Philippine islands, until the 2000s when Cebu Pacific was granted rights to operate international flights throughout the region, which later saw Cebu Pacific become a key player in the LCC industry in the region. Cebu Pacific is seen as a key pioneer in the Low Cost Carrier movement in the Philippines, which also prompted the national carrier, Philippine Airlines to launch a subsidiary Low Cost airline known as Air Philippines in 1995, the same year Cebu Pacific was announced and launched. Most recently Philippine Airlines launched early in 2008 a low cost regional arm of the airline known as PAL Express to compete with Cebu Pacific on key regional routes and to tourist destinations not accessible by Jet Aircraft.

On May 28, 2008, Cebu Pacific was named as the fastest Growing airline in the Philippines and the World. The airline was also ranked 5th in Asia for Budget Airline passengers transported and 23rd in the World. The airline carried a total of almost 5.5 million passengers in 2007, up 57.4 per cent from 2006.[4]