Qatar Airways revives Cebu flights

MANILA, Philippines — Qatar Airways is expanding its services to the Philippines as it revives its flights to Cebu.

The national carrier of Qatar launched Friday its Doha-Cebu services which would be offered three times a week.

Cebu joins Brisbane, Australia and Toronto, Canada as the new destinations to join the airline’s global network in the past few months.

“We are delighted to be launching a new direct service to Cebu, offering our passengers another gateway into the Philippines. Being the airline that has never stopped flying since COVID-19 hit, it has been Qatar Airways’ mission to take people home safely during the pandemic, and we have helped more than two million people get home to their loved ones since February,” Qatar Airways group chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker said.

Qatar Airways last operated flights to Cebu in March 2012.

The relaunch of flights to Cebu, the second largest city in the Philippines, will see the airline’s network in the Philippines expand to 13 weekly flights.

It operates nine weekly flights to Manila, one weekly flight to Clark, and three weekly flights to Cebu.

By the end of July, the airline’s network will expand to over 450 weekly flights to more than 70 destinations with the addition of Cebu and Guangzhou starting today.

“Since the COVID-19 crisis started, we have challenged ourselves to be at the forefront and combat the effects of this global pandemic, by volunteering our services to deliver worldwide medical supplies coordinated by Chinese embassies and consulates,” Al Baker said.

“With over 40 onward available connections to Africa, Europe and the Middle East, passengers from Cebu and Guangzhou will be able to enjoy the Best Airline in the World and the World’s Best Business Class Seat while also having access to the largest and broadest network in the region via Hamad International Airport, the Best Airport in the Middle East,” he said.

Qatar Airways said with its mix of modern fuel-efficient aircraft, its network has never fallen below 30 destinations throughout this crisis and has enabled the airline to adapt its plans and continue adding new routes.