CebuPac to end Manila-Dammam flights Mar 30

MANILA, Philippines - Budget airline Cebu Air Inc.  (Cebu Pacific) is set to suspend flights between Manila and Dammam at the end of the month due to poor load factor.

Alex Reyes, general manager for long haul division at Cebu Pacific, said in a text message that flights to Dammam in Saudi Arabia would be suspended starting March 30 this year.

“We have decided to suspend services for now, as loads on the Dammam-Manila sector are poor,” Reyes said.

The service would be suspended barely five months as Cebu Pacific mounted three weekly flights to Dammam starting Oct. 4 last year. Last month, the service was reduced to twice a week.

According to Reyes, the low cost carrier has started calling out affected passengers, for their options to get a full refund or travel fund.

According to Reyes, Cebu Pacific would redeploy the aircraft used in the Manila – Dammam route to other destinations.

“We are looking to redeploy aircraft to other routes where demand is stronger,” he added.

Cebu Pacific has expanded its hubs outside Manila by mounting flights to Hong Kong from Boracay via its hub in Kalibo, Aklan as well as Tokyo (Narita) via the Mactan – Cebu International Airport.

The airline is also seeking additional seat entitlements from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for flights to Australia and Singapore.

Cebu Pacific operates six hubs in the Philippines including the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Aside from Cebu and Kalibo, the airline operates at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark; Davao International Airport ; and Iloilo International Airport.

It has an extensive route network of 62 destinations spanning Dubai, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney, among others as well as the most flights and routes within the Philippines.