Malaysia Airlines wants to add more Cebu flights

Malaysia Airlines has expressed its interest to add more flight frequency direct from Cebu to Malaysia (vice-versa) as it sees an increase in the passenger traffic in this particular route.

In an interview with Malaysia Airlines area manager for the Philippines Goh Meng Kheng, he said that the airline is currently negotiating with Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for its bid to add direct flight frequency from Cebu to Malaysia.

Currently, Malaysia Airlines flies twice a week from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur, Kheng said the airline's ideal plan is to have a daily flight from Cebu to Malaysia.

"We don't know how many more entitlements they [CAB] are going to give us," he said.

Despite the entry of low cost airways to the Philippines, Kheng said there is still a huge market especially for Cebu to Malaysia route, as the budget airlines are serving different market, than the Malaysia's flag carrier.

Kheng, was here in Cebu to join the promotional roadshow of Malaysia Tourism executives to promote Malaysia in the Philippines including Cebu.

"We see an up market in Cebu-Malaysia route. It is an up market for us," he reiterated.

In an interview the CAB deputy director Carmelo L. Arcilla he said that there are 30 airlines authorized to offer flights from Cebu mostly international routes. Of the 300,000 available air seats per month, only a little less than 20,000 are being utilized.

Arcilla said several airlines have already granted landing entitlements in Cebu, but whether to pursue commercial operation is already a business decision for the concerned airline firms.

So far, (CAB) has confirmed the upcoming entry of three more international flights to add from Cebu to South Korea, and China, in the next few months.

Asiana Airlines has officially announced to open its first international direct flight from Cebu to South Korea started last July 16, 2005.

Hyunil Kim, general manager-sales office Asiana Airlines said the airline will be opening four times a week flight frequency from Cebu to South Korea, starting the second week of this month.

Malaysia Airlines on the other hand, Kheng would wanted to open up additional flights from Cebu as the twice a week frequency is no longer enough for the increasing passenger traffic.

Malaysia, which is the second largest tourism receiving country in Asia, next to China, is trying to tap the Philippines as an important tourism market, while Philippines is also trying to invite Malaysians to consider Philippines as their vacation hub.