CEBU’S aviation industry is facing significant pressure from high fuel costs amid the US-Iran conflict, but industry players remain optimistic that air travel demand will recover and support continued fleet and workforce expansion, an industry player said.
Airworks Aviation Academy president Vincent Ong said the current environment has made operating an airline and aviation businesses more challenging, with fuel prices adding to costs, but he expects the industry to emerge stronger once conditions stabilize.
“For me, it’s a fuel cost issue that makes it very challenging. But demand will recover quickly once it’s back to normal,” Ong said.
He said the industry had already demonstrated its ability to recover from severe disruptions, citing the pandemic as a more difficult period for aviation.
Ong made the remarks as Airworks Aviation Academy recognized its Batch 3 composed of 17 graduates, who completed their pilot training in partnership with Cebu Pacific on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.
He said the airline’s fleet and pilot roster are now larger than during the pre-pandemic boom years, reflecting expectations of stronger market demand in the coming years.
“Pandemic was harder to manage definitely,” Ong said. “It’s a good time to train now since you will finish in two years yet. By then fuel will be back to normal.”
He also pointed to new opportunities for Filipino pilots as airlines in the Middle East and neighboring Vietnam expand their operations.
“For the first time in recent memory, Gulf airline giants are actually hiring Filipino pilots directly,” Ong said, adding that Vietnam’s rapidly expanding airline sector is also hiring Filipino pilots.
Global aviation market
The opportunities come as the global aviation industry faces a long-term shortage of skilled workers.
Boeing, in its 2026 Pilot and Technician Outlook released in July, projects that the commercial aviation industry will need about 2.425 million new personnel globally through 2045, including 674,000 pilots, 728,000 maintenance technicians and 1.023 million cabin crew members.
Southeast Asia alone is expected to require about 258,000 new aviation personnel over the next 20 years, comprising 66,000 pilots, 83,000 technicians and 109,000 cabin crew members.
Boeing also projects a $4.9 trillion global commercial aviation support and services market through 2045 as passenger traffic and aircraft demand expand.
The aerospace company said commercial aviation demand and traffic are expected to double over the next two decades, with near-term disruptions unlikely to derail the industry’s long-term growth.
Developing aviation talent
Ong said the outlook reinforces the importance of developing aviation talent locally.
In his speech at the Airworks graduation, he credited the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), Cebu Pacific, instructors and families for supporting the cadets’ training.
He said CAAP’s decision to allow students to take their examinations in Cebu for the first time reduced the burden on cadets and their families, who previously had to travel to Manila. CAAP established a Knowledge Examination Center at its Mactan, Cebu regional office in November 2025.
He also cited MCIAA’s support for Airworks’ expansion, including priority in hangar lot allocation and rent relief during the Covid-19 pandemic. The airport authority also provided relief when fuel prices surged amid the Iran conflict, he said.
Ong said MCIAA’s support reflects a broader vision of developing Cebu as an aviation hub by investing not only in airlines but also in schools that train pilots, mechanics and other aviation professionals.
He cited plans involving the second runway at Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the opening of airports in Camotes and Bantayan as developments that could strengthen Cebu’s aviation ecosystem.
Cebu Pacific’s decision to bring its cadet pilot training program to the Philippines has also created opportunities beyond pilots, Ong said, generating demand for instructors, mechanics, engineers and ground personnel.
Addressing the 17 cadets, Ong said their responsibility extends beyond operating aircraft.
“You are not simply flying airplanes. You are helping move the Philippines forward,” he said.
He urged the new pilots to remember the passengers whose lives depend on air connectivity, including students pursuing education, workers returning home, entrepreneurs expanding into new markets and Filipinos coming home after years abroad. / KOC