Cebu Pacific Is Launching More Flights to Tacloban City

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific is preparing to host more flights to Tacloban City, which is emerging as more than just a gateway to Eastern Visayas. The trips, once up and running, will be from two of the biggest airports: the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).

ALSO READ

Here’s Why Philippine Airlines Is Halting its Cebu-Baguio Flights

Gokongwei-Led JG Summit's Net Income Triples in First Quarter of 2024

Starting in July, NAIA will have 48 weekly flights to Tacloban, up from the current 41. Meanwhile, two more flights will be added to the Cebu-Tacloban-Cebu route, increasing the existing 17 weekly flights. These increases could be attributed to the rising number of travelers going to the vibrant city not just to pass through and enter the region, but also for tourism and business purposes. Tacloban’s economy grew by 13.8 percent in 2022, the fastest of all provinces in Eastern Visayas, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

“We have been monitoring that there is always a high load for Tacloban [year-round] — to the point that even our team finds it difficult to book,” Carmina Romero, director for corporate communications at Cebu Pacific, said. She added that bookings have always been full, even before the city’s runway began undergoing repairs.

Flight schedules at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban have been limited since May 2 due to the runway asphalt overlay project. The airport’s operating hours were shortened to 6 a.m. to 6.p.m. daily, affecting around 12 flights to and from Manila. But reports say this restriction may soon be lifted, as repairs were completed two months ahead of schedule. 

Tacloban—home to the iconic San Juanico Bridge linking Samar and Leyte—saw almost 390,000 travelers last year, 12,090 of whom were international visitors. This led to the city earning about P9.95 billion from tourism in 2023, accounting for 29.57 percent of Eastern Visayas’ overall tourist receipts of P33.65 billion.

Other air carriers, namely Philippine Airlines and AirAsia Philippines, also operate flights to and from Tacloban. Including the Eastern Visayas capital, Cebu Pacific flies to 35 domestic and 24 international destinations across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.

Cebu Pacific is a business unit under the Gokongwei-owned JG Summit Holdings, similar to Esquire Philippines’ publisher, Summit Media.