Cebu Pacific launches Cebu-Shanghai route

MANILA, Philippines — Gokongwei-owned budget carrier Cebu Pacific continues to beef up its services to China, while also providing more international connections from other hubs in the Philippines as it announced plans to commence operation of a direct service between Cebu and Shanghai next month.

Flights between Cebu and Shanghai will run six times weekly from Monday to Saturday beginning April 15.

Cebu Pacific said the new route is in line with plans to expand capacity in Cebu to meet increasing demand.

The carrier earlier said it would ramp-up capacity in its Cebu hub by as much as 20 percent this year.

“We want to provide more international connections from other hubs in the Philippines and by connecting our Cebu hub to Shanghai, we offer travelers from the Visayas and Mindanao a compelling and easy option to access another top vacation destination,” said Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and distribution of Cebu Pacific.

The airline said the evening departure of the flights from Cebu to Shanghai would enable travelers from neighboring areas such as Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete and Iloilo to connect seamlessly and fly to the biggest city in China.

With under four hours’ flying time, Shanghai is regarded as a popular destination for Filipinos.

Shanghai received 8.94 million inbound tourists in 2018, according to data from the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism.

“Direct flights from Shanghai to Cebu will also make it easier for Chinese tourists to access one of the best islands in the world. Cebu has over 100 islands within the province alone with a wide array of beach resorts, water sports and marine life to appreciate and enjoy. As the beach hub of Cebu Pacific, Cebu also serves as a strategic jump-off point to enjoy more of the Philippines – with direct connections to Siargao, Camiguin, Puerto Princesa and 19 other domestic destinations,” Iyog said.

Citing data from the Department of Tourism, Cebu Pacific said Central Visayas, which includes prime tourist destinations such as Cebu, Bohol, Dumaguete and Siquijor, welcomed over eight million tourists last year, 17 percent of whom were Chinese.

Aside from Shanghai, Cebu Pacific flies direct between Cebu, Hong Kong and Macau in China, as well as Narita in Japan, Incheon in Korea, and Singapore.

Cebu Pacific operates flights out of seven strategically placed hubs in the Philippines, namely Manila, Clark, Kalibo, Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro (Laguindingan), and Davao.

In 2018, the airline flew 20.3 million passengers on over 2,130 weekly flights across 37 domestic and 26 international destinations.