1st international flight from S. Korea arrives in Bacolod-Silay

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — A total of 170 Korean tourists arrived yesterday on board the first international flight from South Korea to the new Bacolod-Silay Airport.

Newly-installed OIC of the airport in Silay City, Ma. Mecine Reyes, said the Zest Airways flight Z2 8053 left Incheon, S. Korea at 8:30 a.m. and landed at the Bacolod-Silay Airport at 11:30 a.m.

Reyes said the airport started operations on January 18, 2008 and yesterday’s maiden international flight was followed with a return flight, leaving Silay at 12:30 a.m. and was expected to arrive Incheon at 5:30 a.m.

Silay-Korea flights are twice a week, or every Wednesday and Saturday, Reyes said, but the airlines said these flights, using Airbus A320, are available only from Jan. 7 to February 25. On Feb. 26, a Sunday, roundtrip flights with the same schedule are also open for bookings.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said, “We hope this will be the start of more direct international flights from other countries to Negros Occidental.”

Silay City Mayor Jose Montelibano said another airline is also applying to launch flights from Silay to Singapore and vice versa. (FREEMAN)