Cebu Pacific Increases Hand-Carry Allowance to 10 kg

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu Pacific is increasing its hand-carry allowance to 10 kilograms (kg) from 7 kg, giving travelers more room to pack without paying for additional checked baggage. The Gokongwei-led airline confirmed on Friday that the higher allowance would take effect on Sept. 15 under its updated hand-carry guidelines. The change, however, will apply only to flights operated by Cebu Pacific (5J). Its regional unit Cebgo (DG) will retain its maximum hand-carry allowance of 7 kg. “The updated policy gives passengers more flexibility to bring what they need for their trip, while keeping clear limits on the number and size of hand-carry items,” the airline said. “These measures will also help our crew manage baggage more efficiently, complete pre-departure procedures on time, and keep flights on schedule.” Under the new policy, Cebu Pacific passengers may still bring no more than two hand-carry items on board: one piece of baggage for the overhead bin and one personal item small enough to fit under the seat in front of them. The two items must weigh no more than 10 kg combined. The main hand-carry baggage must not exceed 56 centimeters (cm) in height, 36 cm in length and 23 cm in width. Travelers, meanwhile, bring personal items that measure up to 20 cm by 35 cm by 20 cm. Passengers must also be able to lift and stow their baggage in the overhead bin by themselves, the airline said. Baggage exceeding size or weight limits must be checked in and may incur additional fees. Buzz over the higher allowance began circulating on Thursday after Cebu Pacific, through its official X (formerly Twitter) account, responded to queries from netizens and confirmed the impending change. The airline formally announced the revised policy on Friday, four days before it takes effect. Cebu Pacific is the country’s largest airline, flying to 35 domestic and 26 international destinations across Asia, Australia and the Middle East. In the first half, the airline flew 14.5 million passengers, up 4 percent year-on-year, despite disruptions from the Middle East crisis. But higher jet fuel costs weighed on its bottom line, with Cebu Pacific recording a first-half net loss of P5.9 billion. /pai