International flights to Iloilo might resume in 2024

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

One of the country’s major airlines said on Thursday that it is open to resuming international flights to and from Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan town, but it may not happen soon as domestic connections remain a top priority.

Cebu Pacific (CEB) Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Michael Ivan Shau told Daily Guardian in a statement that international flights to and from Iloilo may be possible if they receive additional aircrafts that are due for delivery in 2023.

But as the airline continues to rebuild its network after the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, its focus for Iloilo remains to be on its domestic connections.

Direct flights to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga recently resumed last April 22.

Other flights include those to and from Puerto Princesa and Cagayan De Oro that are set to relaunch on June 23 and 24, respectively.

“CEB has conveyed that resumption of international flights in Iloilo may be reconsidered with additional aircraft arrivals. In the meantime, we are focusing more on the domestic network, including Iloilo, as this is where the market demand is now,” Shau said in his statement.

Shau added that the carrier’s international flights are eyed to resume in 2024, with considerations into commercial viability and increasing travel demand.

“Rest assured that CEB will carefully consider and evaluate the possibility of resuming our international flights in the Province of Iloilo in the future seasons, taking into account commercial viability and increasing travel demand,” he said.

“As we continue to work on restoring more flights we used to operate, rest assured that CEB will thoroughly assess the feasibility of resuming our international flights in Iloilo in the upcoming seasons, with the goal of potentially re-launching in 2024,” he added.

Shau’s statements were in response to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas’ June 7, 2023 letter to CEB’s Airport Performance Manager for Iloilo, Kirk Warren Patricio, requesting to resume direct flights to and from Hong Kong and Singapore.

These flights were regularly and exclusively served by CEB at the Iloilo International Airport before the pandemic hit in 2020.

“It cannot be denied that a large number of llonggos are Overseas Filipino Workers or constituents who have outbound flights in relation to business and trade. If direct flights cannot be granted, it would be a disservice to llonggos as well as other Filipinos whose travel needs and expectations are unmet due to long queues at immigration and exorbitant travel expenses associated with multiple bookings on connecting flights,” the mayor said in his letter.

The mayor on Wednesday released a statement on the letters, stating that many Ilonggos had been asking him to lobby for the return of the Hong Kong and Singapore flights.

He also wrote to Philippine Airlines President and Chief Operating Officer Stanley Ng and AirAsia Philippines Chief Operating Officer Ricky Isla, and all letters were publicized on the city government’s Facebook page.

Meanwhile, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. had nixed the idea of lobbying for the return of these flights since last year, citing the lack of demand.