Cebu Pacific adds flights to Vietnam, China

Cebu Pacific, the country’s biggest budget carrier, is increasing seat capacity to Vietnam and China because of strong demand, a company statement issued Friday showed.

This would translate to an additional weekly flight to Hanoi, Vietnam and Guangzhou, China, the air carrier added.

The airline will operate a total of thrice weekly flights from Manila to Hanoi, starting Oct. 31, which will translate to a capacity increase of 33 percent. For Guangzhou, the airline will operate a total of four weekly flights starting Nov. 2, which will increase seat capacity by 25 percent.

“Vietnam and China are two of our fast-growing source markets for foreign tourists,” Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and distribution, said in the statement.

“This is also in line with the delivery of more aircraft in 2013 as we expand in Asia and the Middle East. These additional flights will provide more flight schedule options to guests booking their flights in time for the holidays,” she added.

Cebu Pacific is the only airline with direct flights between the Philippines and Hanoi, gateway to the Ha Long Bay, a popular tourist destination. Cebu Pacific also flies daily from Manila to Ho Chi Minh.

Aside from Guangzhou, Cebu Pacific flies from Manila to Beijing four times a week, to Shanghai daily and to Xiamen thrice a week. It also offers flights to Hong Kong from Manila, Cebu, Clark and Iloilo as well as flights to Macau from Manila and Clark.

Lowest year-round fares to Hanoi start at P2,499, while lowest year-round fares to Guangzhou start at P1,899.

The airline offers 22 international destinations: Bali, Bangkok, Beijing, Brunei, Busan, Dubai, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Incheon, Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Phuket, Shanghai, Siem Reap, Singapore, Taipei and Xiamen.