Cebu Pacific expands ground power use at Clark Airport to cut jet fuel burn and emissions

Cebu Pacific has become the first airline to use bridge-mounted equipment at Clark International Airport that supplies electricity and cooled air to parked aircraft. The setup lets the airline turn off auxiliary power units, which normally burn jet fuel to run cabin power and air conditioning while planes sit at the gate. The same approach was already in use at Mactan-Cebu International Airport since 2024, and the airline has also deployed electric ground support equipment at Mactan-Cebu and Ninoy Aquino International Airport. For airlines, this is a direct way to cut fuel costs and ground-level emissions without changing flight routes or aircraft. For airports, it supports quieter, cleaner ramp operations. The bigger question is whether the electricity feeding those ground units comes from low-carbon sources. If the grid is still coal-heavy, some emissions just shift from the aircraft to the power plant. Even so, cutting APU use reduces local noise and air pollution and lowers fuel consumption, which is a practical step in the right direction.