Tuesday, March 27, 2007 Airline increases Cebu flights
WITH Cebu becoming a business and leisure destination among foreign travelers, an international aircraft carrier has increased its flight frequencies from Cebu to Hong Kong, and vice versa.
“There is so much potential for Cebu. The demand has increased that’s why we have increased the number of flights,” said Eddie Kong, Cathay Pacific-Cebu manager.
Since the months of March to May are considered to be the “summer peak seasons” for traveling, Cathay Pacific has decided to mount four additional flights weekly between Cebu and Hong Kong, bringing the number of flights between the two cities from seven times to 11 times weekly.
The additional flights are scheduled every Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, which began last March 25.
The flight will use either the Airbus 330 or 340 with a seating capacity of more than 300 passengers.
Connect
“Many tourists travel to Hong Kong as a stop, mainly for shopping,” Kong said, adding the flights can connect “conveniently” to many other airline destinations within Asia, Europe, North America and the Southwest Pacific.
Surprisingly, he said, majority of the passengers taking the Hong Kong to Cebu flights are from Canada, US, Europe and the Middle East, in addition to the usual markets of Korea, Japan and China.
“Cebu is doing well in bringing Koreans and Japanese tourists, but it also needs to bring in more European tourists,” Kong said in an interview.
While he acknowledged that convenience and accessibility are key factors in increasing traffic to Cebu, Kong is optimistic the four additional flights catering the Cebu and Hong Kong routes will redound to a growth in tourist arrivals.
“Cathay Pacific believes in the marketability of Cebu as a destination, otherwise, they won’t be increasing the flight frequencies,” Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Phineas Aburo said.
Permanent
Alburo, along with some staff of Cathay Pacific and the local media, welcomed the 110 passengers and crew of Cathay Pacific, who arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport yesterday.
In line with this development, Kong said the airline is contemplating on having the additional flights on a permanent basis.
“But it will depend on the regulatory approval,” he said.
While Cathay Pacific’s allowable travel rights is between 1,700 passengers weekly, Kong revealed that the airline is now enjoying travel rights of 2,200 passengers per week.
Meanwhile, he lauded the DOT 7 for helping the airline increase its flight frequencies to Hong Kong.
Alburo responded, “If they find it viable (to increase travel rights), they can always request.”
Kong also revealed the airline will soon roll out a “semi-suite” first-class dimension in one of its aircraft carriers.
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific flies 37 times a week to Manila, and daily to Cebu.
Earlier, Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano said aside from Cathay Pacific, two other airlines want to increase flights from Shanghai, China and Osaka, Japan to Cebu. (MMM)
