Cebu Pacific (CEB) will be launching four new direct flights this November from its new hub in the city of Iloilo, to two international destinations – Hong Kong and Singapore – and two domestic ones, namely General Santos and Puerto Princesa. Iloilo city is the fifth hub of the airline, after Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao.
Located on the south coast of Panay Island at the heart of the Western Visayas in the Philippines, the city of Iloilo serves as a gateway to Boracay Island. It is the capital of the eponymous province in the Philippines and home to more than 400,000 residents. The city is highly urbanised, with banking, finance and trading being some of the main industries. It is also an outsourcing centre. Over 80 per cent of the population works in the service sector. To attract more business investment, the government offers incentives including tax exemptions for investment starting from five million, reduced business tax for the first four years of operation and full waivers on some licenses fees and taxes.
New service between Iloilo and Hong Kong will start from November 8. The new two weekly flights operate on Thursday and Sunday onboard the A320 aircraft, departing Iloilo International Airport at 2310 to arrive in Hong Kong at 0135 the next day. The return flight takes off at 0220 for 0445 arrival every Monday and Friday.
The new three weekly Singapore route will commence on November 9, onboard the A320, departing Iloilo on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2225 to arrive in Singapore at 0155 the next day. The return flight takes off at 0240 to touch down in the Philippine city at 0610 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The four weekly flights to General Santos and thrice-weekly service to Puerto Princesa will commence on November 8 and 9 respectively, and both are also serviced by the A320 aircraft.
CEB has been seeking opportunities to expand with new routes and, according to a spokesperson, the airline sees a potential for Iloilo to grow as a tourism and trade centre with these new direct services. The new connections also mean outbound passengers of the Negros Occidental and Panay Islands and those wanting to visit these destinations no longer have to pass through Manila or Cebu.
The Philippine low-cost carrier will receive delivery of three more A320 aircraft in the second half of 2012, and it means added capacity for more new routes and increased frequencies for certain destinations. The airline expects passengers for the new route to be business travellers, leisure travellers and overseas Filipino workers.
For more information, visit www.cebupacificair.com.
Michelle Fong
