Better & Cheaper Air Connection For Fresh Tunaff

The inaugural flight of Cebu Pacific to this city from Manila went on as scheduled despite bad weather Monday last week.

Cebu Pacific’s entry here, which was warmly welcomed by government and business leaders, brought to three the daily flights to and from Manila.

Daily flights since the United States Agency for International Development Agency-funded airport started operations in the mid 1990s have been serviced by Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines.

It has a cargo load capacity of four tons, according to Cebu Pacific insider.

Jose Emmanuel Santos, president of Santa Cruz Seafoods, Inc., said the entry of Cebu Pacific would surely spell competition and in effect would make freight rates competitive between other southeast Asean tuna suppliers.

”At present, among southeast Asean countries, the Philippines has the highest air freight rate to the United States,” he said.

Current air freight charge from the Philippines to the United States, he added, is at least $3.70 per kilo.

Asked if by how much rate reduction tuna shipment from here to Manila, which serves as the transshipment point to other countries, could benefit, Mr. Santos projected that Cebu Pacific can easily give off 50% of the cargo fees. ”That is if you base it on their fare rates,” he added.

Now on its 11th year, the airline also flies to Hong Kong and Seoul, South Korea. It started servicing Singapore last August 31.

Gokongwei said the airline has the youngest fleet in the Philippines and one of the youngest in Asia as it operates 11 brand new Airbus aircraft.