Cebu Pacific: Long Haul Flights to Kuwait and Australia Start in September
Cebu Pacific, the country's largest low-cost airline, has announced that it will begin direct flights from Manila to Sydney, Australia, and Kuwait beginning in September. The new service is designed to open new tourism markets and to serve the overseas Filipino worker populations in each country.
Image Source: Cebu Pacific |
According to Cebu Pacific, the airline will be the only carrier offering non-stop flights to Kuwait that is home to more than 180,000 Filipino workers. Cebu Pacific plans to serve the Manila-Kuwait route with three weekly flights beginning on September 2.
In addition, Cebu Pacific will be launching its first destination in Australia when it begins flying four times weekly between Sydney and Manila. The new flights to Sydney, which are scheduled to begin on September 9, will compete directly with Philippine Airlines and Qantas of Australia. But with the new flights to Australia, Cebu Pacific is targeting more than just the 300,000 Filipinos currently living in Australia. The carrier hopes to stimulate travel in both directions expanding tourism opportunities for travellers from both countries.
In addition, Cebu Pacific will be launching its first destination in Australia when it begins flying four times weekly between Sydney and Manila. The new flights to Sydney, which are scheduled to begin on September 9, will compete directly with Philippine Airlines and Qantas of Australia. But with the new flights to Australia, Cebu Pacific is targeting more than just the 300,000 Filipinos currently living in Australia. The carrier hopes to stimulate travel in both directions expanding tourism opportunities for travellers from both countries.
"Our low fares will allow our kababayans abroad to visit home more often, as we have done in other destinations before, and at the same time attract Australian tourists to our shores," said Cebu Pacific President and CEO Lance Gokongwei. Cebu Pacific will be launching both flights with introductory seat sales to Sydney starting as low as P4,999 including all-taxes and fees. Flights to Kuwait will be offered at an introductory price of P1 plus additional fuel surcharges and taxes. According to Cebu Pacific, if passengers take advantage of these introductory fares, they can save as much as 64% off the fares of competing carriers.
With the entry of Cebu Pacific, travel between Australia and the Philippines is expected to stimulate as air fares drop and competition increases. The new flights are expected to open the Philippines to more Australian tourists, which has been identified by the Department of Tourism as an important market for inbound tourism. Australians were recently rated as the world's second biggest travel spenders. Thailand and Indonesia currently rank as the most popular tourist destinations for Australians in Southeast Asia. As Cebu Pacific expands its presence in the Australian market, the Philippines hopes to earn itself a position as one of the top destination for Australian tourists.
The new flights will be operated by Cebu Pacific's new Airbus A330-300 aircraft equipped with 436 seats in an all-economy class configuration. Passengers travelling on Cebu Pacific from Australia and Kuwait will be able to enjoy seamless connections from Terminal 3 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila to the widest network of cities in the Philippines including the popular tourist destinations such as Boracay Island and Palawan. Passengers will also be able to take advantage of Cebu Pacific's lowest fares and connect to other international destinations in the Cebu Pacific network including South Korea, Japan, and China.
Passengers will also have the option to purchase in-flight meals, baggage allowance, seat selection, and in-flight wireless internet for an additional charge. In addition to Sydney and Kuwait, the carrier also operates long-haul flights to Dubai. Cebu Pacific currently operates a fleet of 52 aircraft.