BIZ BUZZ: Riding out the Middle East crisis
Soaring jet fuel prices and a wave of flight disruptions have been rattling airlines since the Iran war broke out on Feb. 28.
But Cebu Pacific sees no need to hit the panic button—at least for now.
At a recent investor briefing, where the Gokongwei-led budget carrier reported a 128-percent jump in net income to P12.3 billion in 2025, CEO Mike Szucs struck a confident—and playful—tone.
“We can ride this out, unlike others,” Szucs said.
The remark marked a shift from a more cautious stance earlier this month, when the airline first flagged risks from surging oil prices tied to the Middle East crisis.
“We remain cognizant of the ongoing crisis and uncertainty in the Middle East, and the potential impact of sharply increasing fuel prices on our business,” Szucs had said. “We will continue to review pricing and network strategies to ensure we minimize the negative impact of the higher fuel prices.”
To be fair, Cebu Pacific has some built-in buffers. Nearly three-fourths of its network is domestic, limiting exposure to airspace disruptions abroad. It also operates a relatively young fleet, with about 72 percent made up of fuel-efficient Airbus NEO aircraft.
Still, the airline isn’t entirely insulated.
Cebu Pacific has suspended several international flights through October, including routes to Bangkok, Singapore and Hanoi, citing fuel prices that it said have “more than doubled” from 2025 averages.
It has also trimmed frequencies on routes such as Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne and Sydney, even as it maintained that the rest of its network remains intact.
For now, Cebu Pacific is navigating choppy skies with confidence. Whether it can emerge from the turbulence truly “unlike others,” however, is a question that will be tested in the months ahead.
