MANILA, (PNA) — The Philippines’ leading low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air (CEB), increased operations from its Visayas hubs in line with its continued push for more tourism and trade in the destinations it flies to.
In a statement, CEB said that from January to August this year, the number of passengers through the airline’s Iloilo hub went up by 33 percent, while guests to and from its Cebu hub increased by 15 percent.
Cebu remains the airline’s second largest hub, with over 2.3 million CEB passengers passing through the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in the first eight months of the year.
Late last year, CEB doubled the routes it offered to and from the Iloilo International Airport. It provided direct connectivity to Tacloban, Puerto Princesa and General Santos, and pioneered the first international flights out of Iloilo to Hong Kong and Singapore.
Previously, CEB only flew from Iloilo to Manila, Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.
Meanwhile, the airline further strengthened its teeming Cebu hub by launching more CEB routes from the MCIA.
CEB launched direct flights from Cebu to Coron, Bangkok (Thailand), Camiguin and Masbate in a period of nine months. It now flies from Cebu to 25 domestic and 5 international destinations.
“We hope that our direct air linkages empower everyone to travel in the fastest way possible, and discover tourism and trade opportunities all over the Philippines. Cebu Pacific will always explore how else it can assist in the country’s tourism agenda, with the delivery of more brand-new aircraft until 2021,” said CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog.
CEB currently operates more than 2,200 weekly flights to over 90 routes or city pairs. The airline flies to 34 domestic and 22 international destinations.
Its newest international routes include Manila-Phuket, launched last August 16, and Manila-Dubai to be launched on October 7.
CEB currently operates 10 Airbus A319, 27 Airbus A320, two Airbus A330 and eight ATR-72 500 aircraft. Its fleet of 47 aircraft is one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world.
Between 2013 and 2021, Cebu Pacific will take delivery of 15 more Airbus A320, 30 Airbus A321neo, and 4 Airbus A330 aircraft.