Seair unit to start operations in Batanes, Palawan

MANILA, Philippines - A unit of South East Asian Airlines (Seair) is set to start commercial operation early next year after being given a green light by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) last week.

Nikos Gitsis, one of the founders of Seair, said in an interview with reporters that Seair International (Seair I) would start flying domestic routes in January after the CAAP approved the airline’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

“We are going to start after New Year officially,” Gitsis stressed.

Seair I is a spun-off unit of Seair and is taking over the airline’s missionary routes that fly to main destinations like Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

He pointed out that the airline would initially fly to Bataan and later to Puerto Princesa in Palawan.

“Right now there is a lot of competition in the market. We want to focus on where we are. We are looking at Batanes and Palawan,” he added.

Seair I’s fleet includes three Dornier 328s and one LET 410UVP-Es and is looking at acquiring two more LET aircraft next year to service destinations where big commercial aircraft could not land. 

According to him, Seair I is looking at inter-Palawan routes such as Puerto Princesa-El Nido, Busuanga, and others as well as Manila to Batanes.

“We believe that the future of Palawan is very bright. The first step towards developing more tourism there,” the American-Greek businessman said.

He pointed out that the airline is looking for partners as part of its plan to venture into long haul operations including the US, Middle East, and Europe once the Category 2 status is lifted by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in the US.

The Category 2 was imposed on the CAAP for failing to meet international aviation safety standards while the European Union followed FAA’s verdict on CAAP and banned Philippine carriers from mounting flights to any European destinations

 “We are taking our time. International flights, we will work it out later. Right now, we would like to focus on Batanes and if Palawan comes we will go to Puerto Princesa,” he said.

Seair is the Philippines’ premier leisure airline and is the second-oldest airline in the Philippines having been established in 1995.

It offers the lowest fares in the following domestic routes - Clark and Manila to Boracay via Kalibo, Manila to Cebu, Tacloban, Puerto Princesa, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo - and the lowest fares in the following international routes - Clark to Singapore, Hong Kong, Kota Kinabalu and Bangkok.