Cebu Pacific adds more Dubai flights

MANILA, Philippines — Gokongwei-led budget carrier Cebu Pacific  will add more flights to its Manila-Dubai route as it celebrates its ninth  year of servicing the destination.

Starting Oct. 30, the carrier will be operating twice daily, or 14 times a week, between Manila and Dubai in response to the steady growth in passengers in the route.

Philippine Consul General to Dubai Renato Dueñas Jr. said  indicators show that more and more Filipinos are traveling to Dubai now that mobility restrictions have eased.

He said Filipinos in Dubai are also eager to come home to the Philippines especially in time for the Christmas season.

Statistics show there are 679,819 Filipinos living in the United Arab Emirates, of which some 500,000 live in Dubai.  They represent 6.1 percent of the whole UAE population.

From the maiden flight to Dubai in October 2013 to September 2022, Cebu Pacific has flown over 1.6 million passengers between Manila and Dubai.

The airline celebrated the milestone with a ‘Homecoming’ community event at the Rove City Centre in Dubai held last October 9.

The event gathered Filipinos in Dubai including community leaders, industry partners, and members of the League of Food and Beverage Entrepreneurs under the Philippine Business Council – Dubai and Northern Emirates.

“We are happy to support the Filipino community in Dubai, by making travel more affordable and accessible as we celebrate our 9th year of service,

Carmina Romero, corporate communications director at Cebu Pacific,  said in a press conference before the event.

Dubai, she said, is special because it is home to the largest population of Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates.

“We will always support our fellow Filipinos in their dreams and hopes of having better lives for their families and loved ones,” Romero said.

Aside from additional flights, the company is offering a special seat sale to celebrate its ninth year of servicing the destination.

Cebu Pacific announced a special sale for the Dubai – Manila route, with base fare as low as AED 399, from Oct. 1 to 16, for travel period from Nov.  1, 2022 until March 31, 2023.

At present, the company operates 88 percent of its pre-pandemic systemwide capacity.

Cebu Pacific flies to a total of 34 domestic and 19 international destinations.