Cebu Pacific plans to mount long-haul flights at Manila airport

MANILA, Philippines – The choice airport for the planned 2013 long-haul flights of local carrier Cebu Pacific is the already congested facility at Manila instead of the sprawling one at Clark.

Connectivity is the main reason for insisting on operating at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), explained Cebu Pacific president and CEO Lance Gokongwei to reporters at the sidelines of the airline’s stockholders meeting on Thursday, June 28.

“Yes we can fly long haul out of Clark but our intention is to fly long haul primarily out of Manila because the market is in Manila,” Gokongwei stressed. 

He also explained that connectivity is crucial in planning a route network that combines international flights involving destinations abroad over 4 hours away, and feeder flights. Passengers travelling to long-haul destinations tend to reach NAIA through a connecting local flight from the provinces, or go home after arrival at NAIA to their final destination in the provinces.  

“Most of our OFWs are actualy not based in Manila. They are based [in] Northern Luzon or VisMin (Visayas and Mindanao regions). So with Middle East flights [for example], you have to connect it to Manila,” he said.

“Manila is the ideal base for a long-haul operation,” he stressed. 

The Aquino government has excluded NAIA, which remains the country’s main gateway, in its list of 5 airports covered by its pocket open skies policy. 

The government, in fact, wants to reduce or re-arrange flights at the NAIA since the single runway is already operating beyond capacity, resulting in flight delays and has contributed to the perennial problem of the terminal buildings within the airport complex to burst at the seams.

Cebu Pacific is operating at the NAIA Terminal 3, which is the most spacious among the airport facilities at the complex. However, its planes have also been delayed from take-offs or landings since they have to queue up at the congested runway. 

The Transportation Department has recently asked the local airlines to reduce or reschedule their flights in Manila to address mounting passenger complaints.

About 80 kilemeters away is the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark in Pampanga. It is included in the open skies policy, which allows foreign carriers to operate as many flights as they want, stimulating travel and tourism.

Cebu Pacific has a few flights at Clark. – Rappler.com