2 Chinese provinces, SBMA in talks to establish direct flights

Two Chinese provinces and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) are in discussions to establish direct flights between Subic and Shijiazhuang and Taizhou cities in China.

This was announced yesterday by SBMA administrator and chief executive officer Armand C. Arreza following a recent trip to China.

According to Arreza, the SBMA is upgrading the facilities of the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) and is starting the expansion/extension of the Subic port.

The two developments, Arreza said, would attract more Asian cities to establish direct flights to Subic.

The SBMA also offers an 80-percent discount on aeronautical fees during regular days and 60-percent discount during weekends to attract more airline operators to use the SBIA and consequently being in more foreign and domestic tourists.

Arreza pointed out that "from a tourism standpoint, the upgrade of facilities in the SBIA will be a major factor for more Asian cities to have their own direct flights to Subic."

Arreza added that "top officials of Shijiazhuang and Taizhou cities and one municipality in the southern part of China have expressed keen interest to have direct flights to Subic. We want to explore these with priorities."

Shijiazhung is the capital of Hebei province and has a population of 68 million and is the sixth richest province in China.

Already flying into Subic are Mandarin Air which has flights from Taiwan; Cebu Pacific which flies between Subic and Incheon in Korea and Air Philippines which flies between Subic and Guangzhou, China.

SBMA chairman Feliciano G. Salonga also expressed confidence that Subic would soon become the busiest tourism destination and investment site in the country.

Salonga commented that "with the successful teamwork that we have here in the SBMA, especially the enthusiasm of Administrator Arreza in inviting potential investors to Subic, I am confident that Subic will become a key source of revenue for national development."