Seaplane service to boost travel and tourism sectors

CEBU, Philippines — Air Juan Aviation Inc., has brought the first seaplane service in Cebu, which is seen to boost the province’s travel and tourism industries.

On Saturday, the aviation firm launched its seaplane service hub at the South Road Properties in Cebu City.

Company president John Gutierrez said the firm's seaplane service aims to cut travel time to Cebu’s neighboring tourist destinations to a few minutes only.

"We are not a budget airline but we are the most convenient," he said.

Last June 2017, the company first started its Cebu operations with scheduled landplane flights from Mactan-Cebu International Airport to Bantayan, Biliran, Maasin, Sipalay, Siquijor and Tagbilaran.

This year the company has expanded to seaplane service in Cebu, which allows travelers to island hop in a convenient way.

Within the first quarter of 2018, Gutierrez said the airline will connect Cebu through seaplane to destinations check as Camotes, Candijay (Anda), Gigantes, Kalanggaman, Lakawon, Malapascua, Panglao and Sumilon (Oslob).

The trips, he said, would cut travel time to these destinations, which usually take an hour or more if through a ferry ride.

The company's seaplane can accommodate a maximum of nine passengers while its landplane can ride a maximum of 12 passengers.

The airline firm currently has 20 routes around the Philippines.

It also has hubs in Manila and Palawan.

In Cebu, Gutierrez said he is bullish on the interest among the locals and foreign tourists as well to take on this new service.

Air Juan is the country’s first and only commercial seaplane operator and is the biggest in Southeast Asia.

Air Juan’s current market is 70 percent foreign tourists.

The firm believes the local market will soon see the value of convenient, time-saving air travel so they can spend more time enjoying their vacation. (FREEMAN)