Cebu Pacific adds flight from Cebu to Clark

Cebu Pacific now flies every Sunday between Cebu and Clarkfield in Pampanga to meet the growing frequency demands in the two

highyield destinations.

Director Ronaldo Tiotuico of the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region III said the decision was triggered by a continuous public demand for additional flights to enable travelers from both ends to get back during weekends.

Cebu Pacific’s usual flights between the ends are every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Sunday flight took off last Dec. 14.

The load factor is expected to increase as the Yuletide season is at its peak this month, said Tiotuico. Before, business opportunities were lost to Manila because of the non-availability of the weekend flights to and from Clark.

Likewise, more than 200 potential convention-bound passengers to Cebu last November had to bypass Clark and fly instead from Manila because there was no schedule on Sunday.

The Cebu Pacific management, Tiotuico said, is convinced the regular flight to Clark will continue to generate revenues due to the coming long weekend holidays. A number of conventions are being held simultaneously in both centers.

The Cebu-Clark flight was launched in Oct. 26 with just around 20 percent occupancy level. Now, flights between the two destinations are hitting close to 30 percent occupancy and the level is continuously increasing, the director said.

Both ends are anticipating that the Clark-Cebu connection will further be enhanced through major travel and tourism events such as Cebu’s Sinulog Festival. A new tour package was initiated recently by Danny Cerdena of Blue Voyage Travel and Tours, the new president of Association of Travel Agencies of Pampanga.

Sinulog Festival, held every Jan. 18-21, is touted as the merriest and most colorful event in Central Visayas. Pegged at R10,600 per head, the package includes airfare, four-day and three-night room accommodation in a hotel, daily breakfasts and half-day city tour and entrance fees.

Sinulog is Cebu’s biggest and most popular fiesta. There will be tribal street-dancing and chanting amid vigorous drum-beating and lively marches.