Cebu Pacific has launched three new flights from Clark International Airport (CRK), two going to local destinations Bacolod and Iloilo, and one to Narita, Japan, as it expands its operations at the Northern and Central Luzon air hub.
With the launch of the new routes on August 9, Cebu Pacific said it will become the largest carrier at CRK in terms of capacity by end-2019, capturing 28% of the total number of seats offered by all carriers operating in the Pampanga hub. It is also the first Philippine carrier to mount direct flights between Clark and Tokyo.
Flights from Clark to Bacolod and Iloilo run daily, while direct service to and from Narita is scheduled four times weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays). Earlier, the carrier also announced it would begin daily flights between Clark and Puerto Princesa in Palawan by the fourth quarter of 2019.
Together these four new routes will boost Cebu Pacific’s total capacity in CRK by 40% in 2019 alone, following a 75% increase in 2018 with the launch of direct commercial air services to and from Davao and Panglao (Bohol); as well as additional frequency for the Clark-Macau route.
“We have been operating flights in and out of Clark since 2006. The opening of these new routes is a testament of how committed we are to continuously develop this hub—we are not only establishing seamless inter-island connections, but also opening up North Luzon to more potential entrepreneurs, both local and foreign, furthering tourism, trade and investment opportunities in Clark and its surrounding areas,” said Cebu Pacific president and chief executive officer Lance Gokongwei.
Cebu Pacific flies to four other domestic destinations (Cebu, Caticlan, Tagbilaran, Davao), and three other international destinations (Singapore, Macau and Hong Kong) to and from Clark.
“As we aim to fly 200 million passengers by 2020 and 300 million by 2022, trust that we have been and will always keep our customers at the heart of the business. Rest assured, we will continue to cater to the growing travel demand by enabling more Juans to travel conveniently and affordably through our year-round low fares,” Gokongwei said.
The airline expects to receive over 60 aircraft in the next eight years, guaranteeing even greater growth in and out of the Philippines.
Aside from CRK, Cebu Pacific operates flights out of six other strategic hubs in the Philippines: Manila, Kalibo, Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro (Laguindingan), and Davao. It operates over 2,000 weekly flights across 37 domestic and 26 international destinations.
