07/07/2024
THEY STARTED WITH JUST 4 DC-9s IN 1996. NOW, THEY HAVE 84 PLANES WITH 184 MORE ON ORDER.
If there are lessons we can learn from Cebu Pacific, they are these:
1. People may call you crazy for being the first to do something, but it's the crazy people who change the world. Cebu Pacific was the first to introduce the low-cost model in the Philippines, and people thought they were crazy. Look at their domestic market share now. They were the first to operate from NAIA Terminal III, and people thought they were crazy. Look at how huge their capacity is now. And now, they are the first airline to order more than 100 planes in a single go.
2. Do not be afraid to be the first in new ventures. Yes, it is risky, but you just have to know how to manage the risks. Sometimes, it's better to be the first because you get to change the whole ball game later on.
3. Do not be afraid to start small, but have a strong and powerful vision, and stick to it. Who would have thought that an airline with just four used DC-9s would end up this big now with 84 planes and 134 more to be delivered (184 if including the options)?
4. Never give up. Cebu Pacific faced big challenges during its early days, yet they never gave up and persevered. Now, they are the largest airline in the Philippines in terms of domestic market share, capturing more or less 50%.