Cebu Pacific to fly to Osaka

MANILA, Philippines - Cebu Pacific will start flying to Japan on Nov. 20 to meet increasing demand from Filipinos based there. In a statement, the Gokongwei-owned airline said it would offer three roundtrip flights to Osaka each week. "The Manila-Osaka service will be strategically important to the Philippines’ tourism agenda. It will help generate interest in our country’s medical and wellness tourism among the Japanese," Cebu Pacific President Lance Y. Gokongwei said. The airline will fly to Japan using its 179-seater Airbus 320 aircraft on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. "Japan has a very active and vibrant travel market, which should help us attain our goal of flying seven million passengers this year," Mr. Gokongwei said. He added that the service would allow Filipinos working in Japan to come home more frequently given their trademark low fares. The airline flies from the Philippines to 14 other locations in the Southeast Asian region. These are Bangkok, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kaohsiung, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Pusan, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei. Likewise, Cebu Pacific will offer an introductory one-way fare of P1,999 for the new destination, a 70% price cut from what is offered by other airlines, the company said. The seat sale will run from Sept. 16 to 30 and is good for travel from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18. Fare is nonrefundable and excludes surcharges and taxes. After the sale, prices will go up to P3,999 for one-way flights. Early this month, the company said it would set up an international hub at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga. — Paolo Luis G. Montecillo, BusinessWorld