Cebu Pacific adds exemptions to one carry-on baggage policy

Passengers of Cebu Pacific will only be allowed to bring one carry-on baggage starting March 1 even as the carrier on Thursday announced exemptions to the new policy.

Cebu Pacific said only one exemption will be accepted per passenger, which must fit the following criteria — extra bag for parents or guardians traveling with children; medical-related needs of passengers; items purchased inside the airport; gadgets or food not accepted for check-in; or a small bag that can fit under the seat.

Medical-related needs include walking sticks, crutches, prosthetic devices and a personal wheelchair, while airport purchases must come with the proof of receipt that will be presented to boarding agents.

“We continuously monitor customer feedback and we are happy to provide these additional exemptions,” Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and customer experience Candice Iyog said in an emailed statement.

The exemptions will be on top of the one piece of carry-on baggage which must not exceed a weight of seven kilograms, and must fit in the overhead bin or under the aircraft seat.

Guests who do not comply with the policy will be charged with a gate baggage fee of P1,000 per person for domestic flights, and between P1,500 and P3,000 for long haul flights.

Cebu Pacific’s domestic network currently covers 33 destinations, on top of 12 international destinations. Its fleet covers 74 aircraft, including two dedicated ATR freighters.

Commercial air travel to and from Metro Manila was restricted from March 2020 until three months later, after the easing of the community quarantine.

In May last year, Cebu Air Inc. secured some $250 million from the issuance of convertible bonds to private equity investors. — VBL, GMA News