MANILA -- Cebu Pacific said Tuesday it was "speculative" at this point to conclude that reducing the number of passengers to fight the COVID-19 pandemic would result in higher fares and the death of its P1 promo fares.

Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific, the Philippines' largest airline, and its rivals Philippine Airlines and AirAsia are all preparing for flight resumptions under a "new normal" outfitting crew with protective gear, encouraging the use of digital channels and maintaining physical distancing.

Flights will not resume until after the lockdown or enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas ends on May 15.

"Kaunti kasi ang nabebentang upuan, 'pag kunyari wala na talaga 'yong middle seat, mas kaunti ang pasaherong naghahati sa cost of mounting that flight, ang pangamba nila tataas ang pamasahe," Cebu Pacific spokeswoman Charo Logarta-Lagamon said.

(If we are selling fewer seats, in case the middle seat is removed, fewer people will share the cost of mounting that flight. There's a fear that fares will increase.)

"I think medyo speculative pa siya sa ngayon, meron naman pong ways na mapababa natin o ma-manage natin ang mga costs of the flight, hindi necessarily tataas nang walang piso fare," she told DZMM.

(I think that's a bit speculative at this point. There are other ways to bring down or manage the costs of the flight, not necessarily scrapping the piso fare.)

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Cebu Pacific can survive the lockdown, wherein all flights are grounded, Lagamon said.

The airline earlier said some employees agreed to pay cuts to protect jobs.

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