Cebu Pacific president and CEO Lance Gokongwei (center) officially opens the carrier’s latest long-haul route from Manila to Sydney with guests of honor Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell (left) and Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. (right)
Cebu Pacific, currently the largest carrier in the Philippine air transportation industry, launched its first Manila-Sydney non-stop flight on September 9, marking the start of its long-haul service in Australia. The airline is the only low-cost carrier operating the route.
Cebu Pacific (CEB) now runs four weekly flights between Manila and Sydney, every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The flight departs Manila at 12:15 a.m. and arrives in Sydney at 10:05 a.m. Meanwhile, the return flight departs Sydney at 11:35 a.m. and arrives in Manila at 5:30 p.m.
Moreover, the airline announced this week that an additional Wednesday frequency would commence on December 10 to accommodate travel demands from the growing Filipino community in Australia.
Based on statistics from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, there are over 300,000 Filipinos based in Australia today.
At the pre-departure ceremonies for the maiden flight to Sydney, CEB president and Chief Executive Officer Lance Gokongwei triumphantly declared, “This maiden flight to Australia allows us to share our brand of fun, and provide connections and low fares, to another part of the globe. In our short history, we have stimulated travel in Asia and in the Middle East. Eighteen years after the airline’s inception, Cebu Pacific, a proud Philippine carrier, will land in the Australia-Oceania region, and work towards doing the same.”
Gokongwei added that the airline likewise hopes to stimulate Australian travel to the Philippines. “We have long believed that the Philippines can rival the beaches of Bali and Phuket. Now, with Cebu Pacific’s launch, there is an affordable option for fun-loving Australians to discover this for themselves,” he said.
Besides Gokongwei, the maiden flight to Sydney was sent off by Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., and Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla.
CEB’s Sydney flights take passengers onboard a brand-new Airbus A330-300 fleet with a configuration of 436 all-economy class seats. The airline just received the delivery of its fifth A330 aircraft was from the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France on September 2.
Onboard this long-haul flight, passengers have the option to purchase baggage allowance, seat selection, CEB Air Wi-Fi connectivity inflight and hot meals.
CEB further offers fast and convenient same-terminal connecting flights for guests taking advantage of the airline’s wide Philippine network.
For bookings and inquiries, log on to www.cebupacificair.com or call reservation hotlines (02) 7020-888 or (032)2 30-8888. The latest seat sales can also be found on CEB’s official Twitter (@cebupacificair) and Facebook pages.
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