Seair-I to mount more flights in PH and abroad

AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Southeast Asian Airlines International (Seair-I) is planning to mount passenger flights to Caticlan, the nearest gateway to Boracay Island, and Puerto Princesa, Palawan, on April 16, part of its broader strategy to serve niche tourist destinations in the country and the region.

Seair-I, which will mount flights from Clark International Airport in Pampanga, will be the sole operator of these routes, with promo fares starting at P2,085, officials said in a briefing this week.

Seair-I, which will operate using the airline code XO, said it would also seek regulatory approval to mount charted flights to Taiwan and China, president Avelino Zapanta told reporters.

Should it gain approval from the Civil Aeronautics Board, Zapanta said more destinations in China, as well as Japan, could be on the horizon.

For now, Zapanta said, the company will focus on local destinations like Boracay and Palawan with its fleet of two 32-seat Dornier 323s. It also operates a Boeing 737 for cargo services.

“We expect demand and traffic on these routes to increase by up to … 400 percent over this initial offering, and we are ready to expand our capacity accordingly,” he said.

The airline also established cargo interline agreements with fellow Clark locators Qatar Airways and Emirates. Daily cargo runs between Clark and Cebu are now operated using Seair-I’s B737-200—the only airline in the country using a dedicated freighter jet aircraft.

As the first airline locator in Clark, Seair-I is in a position to grow its boutique operations, and develop new holiday routes, the company said in a statement.