Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines’ leading carrier, and flyadeal, Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing low-cost airline, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore strategic commercial collaboration.
This milestone agreement spans a wide array of potential initiatives, including commercial cooperation and support in maintenance and engineering.
As part of the first phase, flyadela will wet-lease two Airbus A320 aircarft from Cebu Pacific during the upcoming summer peak season in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In return, Cebu Pacific is considering wet-leasing A320 aircraft from flyadeal during Southeast Asia’s winter travel peak later this year.
The MoU was formalized during a joint press conference held in Manila, attended by flyadeal CEO Steven Greenway and Cebu Pacific CEO Mike Szucs, who shared details of the phased cooperation beginning with the wet lease arrangement.
Discussions between the two airlines began earlier this year after Greenway and a flyadeal delegation visited Manila to learn more about Cebu Pacific’s A330-900neo operations. Flyadeal, the fastest growing airline in the Middle east, recently announced its entry into the long-haul market with an order of 10 A330 widebody aircraft to serve routes between Saudi Arabia and the Philippines, as well as across Southeast Asia, starting in 2027.
“Today’s agreement is a landmark moment for flyadeal, marking our first-ever strategic airline partnership,” said Greenway. “Cebu Pacific’s expertise in low-cost, long haul operations–particularly with the A330-900neo–offers valuable insights as we prepare to induct the same aircraft into our fleet. This collaboration enables knowledge-sharing, joint training, and the exchange of best practices. Additionally, it allows us to address immediate operational needs through wet lease of Cebu Pacific aircraft for our peak season, with the potential for Cebu Pacific to reciprocate during their winter peak.”
Szucs emphasized the strategic importance of optimizing Cebu Pacific’s growing fleet: “As we continue to expand our capacity, it’s crucial to ensure year-round fleet utilization. Leasing out aircraft during our off-peak season is an effective way to do that. This partnership underscores Cebu Pacific’s evolving capability to support international carriers through wet lease arrangements and operational cooperation. It also enhances our revenue streams and extends our global footprint beyond the Asia-Pacific region.” Both CEOs confirmed that their respective teams will meet regularly in the coming months to develop detailed plans for further collaboration.
