Philippines: Cebu Pacific welcomes the government’s ratification of the ASEAN Open Skies agreement

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 2016-Feb-10 — /Travel PR News/ — The Philippines’ leading carrier, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), welcomes the Philippine government’s ratification of the ASEAN Open Skies agreement. This agreement allows designated carriers of ASEAN countries to operate unlimited flights between capitals, leading to better connectivity and more competitive fares and services.

CEB currently offers the most number of flights and destinations to ASEAN from the Philippines. The airline flies to 11 destinations in seven ASEAN countries, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia (Siem Reap), Indonesia (Bali and Jakarta), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu), Singapore, Thailand (Bangkok and Phuket), and Vietnam (Hanoi and Saigon). Through CEB’s interline agreement with Tigerair Singapore, CEB also offers flights to Myanmar (Yangon), via Singapore.

With Open Skies, CEB can add more flights to and from key destinations in ASEAN, to meet the growing travel demand within the region. Passengers from these international destinations may also take advantage of CEB’s lowest year-round fares and widest domestic network, to easily connect to any of the Philippines’ popular islands.

“We commend the DOTC, DFA, DOT, CAB and other relevant agencies for supporting the ratification of this agreement. The Philippine aviation industry has reached a milestone that will ultimately benefit the travelling public, as we open our airspace to vast travel opportunities and operational efficiencies between and among ASEAN carriers,” said Atty. JR Mantaring, CEB Vice President for Corporate Affairs.

Subject to regulatory approvals, the agreement further allows carriers to upgrade its ASEAN flights to wide-bodied aircraft and increase capacity without the need for air talks. This streamlined process will enable CEB to focus on expanding its operations, stimulating passenger traffic, and improving customer experience rather than spending valuable resources on negotiating for additional air rights.

“Given our government’s support of this liberalized and equitable air services agreement, the Philippines solidifies its position as a prime and competitive global hub for air travel.  Cebu Pacific looks forward to contributing to this evolution, and enabling more Filipinos to fly across ASEAN, and across the globe,” added Atty. Mantaring.

CEB offers flights to a network of over 90 routes on 64 destinations, spanning Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. It is slated to launch direct flights between Manila and Guam, its first US destination, on March 15, 2016.

For bookings and inquiries, guests can visit www.cebupacificair.com or call (+632)7020-888 or (+6332)230-8888. The latest seat sales can be found on CEB’s official Facebook and Twitterpages. Guests may also download the Cebu Pacific official mobile app on the App Store and Google Play.

Cebu Pacific’s 57-strong fleet is comprised of 8 Airbus A319, 35 Airbus A320, 6 Airbus A330, and 8 ATR 72-500 aircraft. It is one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world. Between 2016 and 2021, CEB expects delivery of three more brand-new Airbus A320, 30 Airbus A321neo, and 16 ATR 72-600 aircraft.

About Cebu Air Inc. (PSE: CEB)​
Cebu Air Inc. is the largest carrier in the Philippine air transportation industry, offering its low-cost services to more destinations and routes with higher flight frequency within the Philippines than any other airline.

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