More direct Cebu-China flights
Business and tourism opportunities await Cebu as two more direct flights this month from China are launched.
XiamenAirlines launched its Cebu- Jinjiang and Cebu – Fuzhou routes, which are seen to strengthen air linkages between China and Cebu.
China-based Xiamen Airlines launched its first scheduled service to Cebu last March 2016 with Cebu – Xiamen flight three times weekly. The two additional routes begin just a little after a year from the airlines first-ever operations to Cebu.
Xiamen Airlines Flight MF8001 flies from Jinjiang to Cebu, departing at 11:30 am and arriving at 2:15 pm every Monday and Friday. Flight MF8002 flies Cebu back to Jinjiang, departing 3:15 pm and arriving at 6:00 pm on the same days. The route started April 10.
The company operating and managing the MactanCebu International Airport (MCIA) welcomed the latest development.
Aines Librodo, marketing head at GMR-MEGAWIDE Cebu Airport Corporation, said Cebuanos and people from central and southern Philippines now have many options to reach United States of America and Europe.
Librodo, in a statement, said it is also easier now for “balikbayans, balikmanggagawa, and seafarers to come home to the Philippines via Cebu as MCIA open up Cebu to the rest of the world.”
MCIA is currently connected to 17 international destinations, 27 domestic destinations and with 20 partner airline carriers.
Aside from Xiamen Airlines, China Eastern Airlines also launched new routes from Shanghai to Cebu and Clark starting this month in time for the commemoration of the latter’s four-year operations in the Philippines.
China Eastern will have seven weekly flights in its first run from October 18 to October 28. It will resume operations on January 18, 2018.
Last October 18, MCIA welcomed China Eastern Airlines maiden flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport with a ceremonial water cannon salute.
China Eastern Airline Country General Manager Channe Chen, in the same statement, said the said maiden flight marked a significant and historic moment as exactly the same date they started the very first flight in the Philippines four years ago.
China Eastern Airlines its operations in the country on October 18, 2013 with its first flight service to Shanghai from Manila. The airline, which serves 100 million passengers annually, is operated from its headquarters in Shanghai and ranks second among the world’s top airlines in passenger volume.
It offers non-stop flights to seven North American gateways: New York (JFK), Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Toronto, and Vancouver and serves 1,062 destinations across 177 countries
Following the successful Cebu launch, daily flights to Shanghai from Clark International Airport also commenced last October 19.
These two new connections are part of the four new routes which the airline has announced to add to their flight services in the Philippines this 2017.
Earlier this year, the airline launched the first two new routes—Cebu-CantonCebu and the KunmingManila-Kunming—in June and September, respectively.
By end of October, MCIA will serve a total of 18 international destinations, including China’s historic city Xi’an, and 35 domestic destinations. New routes to Beijing and Bangkok are eyed to open in the next months.
GMCAC president Louie Ferrer said promoting the province and its surrounding areas to other Asian countries, especially China, is among their highest priorities.