Emirates Increases Flights to Manila in Summer 2016

Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines may once again face more competition on flights to Dubai beginning in the summer of 2016. According to the latest timetables, Emirates is planning to increase its flights between Manila and Dubai.

Image source: Emirates
Emirates will operate four additional weekly flights between Dubai and Manila beginning on March 29, 2016. This is on top of the existing twice-daily service currently in place. It brings the total number of weekly flights operated by Emirates to 18. EK336 leaves Dubai airport at 4:50 pm every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It arrives in Manila at 5:00 am the next day. EK337 then departs Manila at 6:40 am every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It will then return to Dubai at 11:40 am. Like the two existing Emirates flights, EK336 and EK337 will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER.

Passengers not travelling to Dubai or the Middle East can still benefit from the additional flights as Emirates operates an extensive network that includes destinations in Europe, Africa and the Americas. The Emirates network also includes what will be the world's longest flight to Panama City, a service that commences in February 2016.

However, Philippine-based carriers have long expressed their concerns about Emirates mounting additional flights to Manila. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific both claim that allowing the Gulf carrier to operate more flights undermines competition. Currently, both Philippine carriers operate flights to Dubai using high-density Airbus A330 aircraft.

According to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, the UAE is the largest destination in the Middle East for Filipino travellers. However, Philippine Airlines chief Jaime Bautista says that more than 70% of travellers flying via Dubai are ultimately bound for another destination, suggesting that there is actually an overcapacity of seats for people travelling between the Philippines and UAE.

Recently, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed an amended air service agreement that expanded the number of weekly flights between the two countries from 28 to 35, despite pleas from local carriers.

Source: Airlineroute, CAPA

10 comments:

  1. Philippines air carriers PAL and CebuPac should not whine about the great services and products of Emirates as there is a big market in Manila and the Philippines as a whole. Why disdain and complain? Just compete and compete, it is a rat race out there! I am a FilAm from Southern California and I can see so much childish whines and complaints from you guys there!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Competition is okay as long it is done in a level playing field. But with enormous subsidies being forked out by the Emirati government to Emirates, the competition is far from being fair.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alberto Anonimato, why are you so interested?
      Forget it.....

      Delete
  3. I have found a comfortable way of flying to California via the Middle East! I became bored with the other Asian air carriers, so do not blame me because it is my money, anyway!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why nor fly on charter plane, people will vow on you if you do

      Delete
    2. Que estas deciendo Juan de la Cruz? Wrong grammar, spellings, etc. Please go back to college!

      Delete
    3. Emirates "unholy hour" schedules to Manila are evidences that it is making money because passengers love its services and products overall. So what's the problem with that?

      Delete
  4. The sense of anticipation as a plane taxis down the runway is unparalleled. AV8 Prep how to become a pilot

    ReplyDelete

Powered by Blogger.