PAL Okays 2 More Direct Cebu-Tokyo Flights

Manila Standard

Wednesday, December 23, 1998

In a welcome boost to the economy of Cebu and the Visayan region, Philippine Airlines (PAL) will add more direct Cebu-Tokyo flights on December 29, raising total frequencies on the busy route five times weekly.

The new services are the result of a decision by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) last September 10 awarding additional landing/takeoff slots at Tokyo’s Narita to PAL.

They fulfill a PAL promise to the Cebuano and business community to expand international air services to the city and bid to serve the riding public and stimulate economic activity in the region.

The added flights are a shot in the arm for the trade- and tourism-based economy of Cebu and Central Visayas, which is heavily reliant on the Japanese market.

Cebu’s multitude of manufacturing and export firms will delight in particular at PAL’s choice of its high-capacity workhorse, the Airbus 330-300, to serve the route.

The widebodied A330-300 benefits both passengers with luxurious amenities and cargo shippers with larger capacity. It can seat 278 passengers in bi-class comfort and load up to 21,680 kilograms of cargo – the largest cargo hold capacity of any aircraft in the PAL regional fleet.

The new service have been structured specially to suit the busy schedules of the Japanese businessmen and tourist. PR 435 departs Narita every Tuesday and Friday at the convenient time of 9:55 a.m. and arrives in Cebu’s Mactan international Airport at 2 p.m.

The return flight, PR 436, leaves Cebu on the same days at 1:30 a.m., giving departing passengers the luxury of a late hotel check out and the chance to spend the entire day in the island. The flight arrives in Narita at 7 a.m., just in  time to catch the train to work.

Alternatively, Japanese passengers headed back may opt to take PAL’s morning flight, PR 434, which departs Cebu every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday at 8 a.m. and arrives in Narita at 1:25 p.m.

Apart from the five Cebu-Tokyo flights, PAL also operates a four-times-weekly service from Cebu to Osaka that originates in Manila. Cebu is thus linked to the two premier Japanese cities nine times a week via PAL flights.