Sustainability, digitisation, and post-pandemic strategy. An interview with Mike Szücs, Chief Executive Officer, Cebu Pacific
In advance of Aviation Festival Asia 2023, Mike Szücs, Chief Executive Officer, Cebu Pacific discussed the airline’s post-pandemic strategy, sustainability journey, and digitisation pursuits.
Cebu Pacific is the Philippines’ oldest and biggest low-cost carrier. Despite being in one of the worst impacted areas for Covid, the airline has already surpassed its pre-pandemic domestic capacity and restored 92 per-cent of its system-wide capacity.
In the interview, the Cebu Pacific Chief Executive Officer delved into the airline’s post-pandemic experience. As a carrier that relied heavily on the Hong Kong market, Mike explains how the airline spurred their recovery despite lasting restrictions in the region. Interestingly, Mike made it clear that the airline’s growth plans do not rely on changes to their model, rather they focus on getting back to where they were and growing in the ways they anticipated in 2020.
Alongside exploring the carrier’s business model and growth plans, the interview covered an overview of Cebu Pacific’s views on digitisation. Following a natural progression as well as catering to the Philippines’ young demographic, the airline has been developing their digital offering. Mike explains how digital transformation can be a streamlining tool and enhance the customer experience whilst being cost effective.
A further topic of conversation was the airline’s sustainability journey. Already the first Philippine carrier to incorporate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Mike talks through their approach to sustainability. Touching on the geography of the Philippines and the island country’s predisposition to suffering adverse effects of global warming, Mike highlights the particular salience of the issue to the airline.
These three topics and more were covered in the 20-minute conversation with the Chief Executive Officer, Cebu Pacific.
The interview was structured around the following questions:
- What are you doing to actively restore your capacity in the wake of the pandemic?
- In what way has your business model changed in response to the pandemic?
- You recently became the first Philippine carrier to incorporate SAF, what does the rest of your sustainability journey look like?
- Can you tell me about your growth plans for the airline?
- Would you say digitalisation is central to your business model?
- What are you looking forward to about Aviation Fest Asia?
Mike Szücs will be speaking on partnerships, technology adoption, expanding an international network, and more at Aviation Festival Asia 2023.
Article by Jess Brownlow
