DABAWENYOS who wish to travel to Thailand can do so conveniently as Asia's first low-cost airline will launch additional direct flights from Davao to Bangkok to meet the increasing demand for travel between Mindanao and Thailand.
The Gokongwei-led budget carrier, Cebu Pacific announced on August 6 that it will service the Davao-Bangkok-Davao route three times a week from Francisco Bangoy International Airport or Davao International Airport to Bangkok, Thailand’s Don Mueang International Airport starting October 28, 2024.
The move aims to make Bangkok’s gastronomic delights, shopping areas, and rich cultural legacy more accessible to Dabawenyos and Mindanawons in general.
Meanwhile, the Philippines' leading airline also announced that there will be new domestic routes added as part of its regional network expansion plan. This includes the launching of daily flights from Davao to Caticlan and Puerto Princesa on October 27 and thrice-weekly flights between Davao and Tacloban starting October 29.
“We are excited to restore international flights and operate additional domestic routes from our hub in Mindanao. Through Cebu Pacific’s extensive network and value-for-money fares, more travelers from Davao will now be able to discover what the Philippines and the rest of the world has to offer,” said Xander Lao, Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer.
The airline is welcoming customers to its reopened flights and new routes from Davao. In addition, it is running a seat sale deal with a P1 one-way base fare that is not subject to fees or penalties.
Travelers can book flights from Davao on the new routes from August 5 to 15, 2024. The travel period is from October 21, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
According to the Department of Tourism (DOT), around 749,647 tourists arrived in the first quarter of 2024, up 1.12 percent over the 741,329 recorded in the same period in 2023.
Meanwhile, with 370,145 tourist arrivals in the first three months of 2024 — up by at least 42 percent from 259,960 in the same period last year, Davao City had the largest number of arrivals.
Cebu Pacific currently flies to 35 domestic and 26 international destinations spread across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. DEF