Cebu Pacific's Not-So-Secret Weapon

The airline's CEO tells me what makes the airline unique.

Dear readers,

Sometimes the best innovations in airlines have nothing to do with technology, personalization, or the conference buzzword of the moment. They’re simple advances that open up low-cost travel to more people while improving investor returns.

I was reminded of that last week when I interviewed Mike Szücs, CEO of Cebu Pacific Airlines. In the Americas or Europe, we may not think often of Cebu Pacific because it mostly flies cost-conscious customers within Asia. But until Covid temporarily rocked its model, Cebu was among the world’s most consistently profitable airlines. In 2019, it reported roughly $165 million U.S. in net income on revenues of $1.5 billion. Executives have predicted Cebu could return to profitability this year.

Cebu has a not-so-secret weapon, and it’s an innovation I love so much.