Cebu Pacific resumes Manila-Sydney flights

MANILA, Philippines — Budget carrier Cebu Pacific has resumed direct flights from Manila to Sydney after shutting the route for more than two years due to the pandemic.

Cebu Pacific chief commercial officer Xander Lao yesterday said the Gokongwei airline opened up its direct flights to Sydney again on July 1 as part of efforts to expand its footprint in Asia and the Pacific.

According to Lao, Cebu Pacific decided to reopen the Manila-Sydney and vice versa route after seeing both the Philippines and Australia loosen their travel restrictions.

Cebu Pacific operates flights between Manila and Sydney three times every week, in particular, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Flight 5J 39 departs the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 11:20 in the evening and arrives at the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport at 9:50 in the morning, local time.

On the other hand, the return flight leaves Sydney at 11:20 in the morning, local time. It lands in Manila at 5:50 in the afternoon every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Lao said the resumption of the route would allow Filipinos to reunite with their families and friends in Sydney and also give tourists a chance to explore one of Australia’s largest cities.

“We know that many are excited to visit Sydney’s attractions, such as the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, Taronga Zoo and many more. This also allows Filipinos to reunite with friends and family. We will continue working on boosting seamless connections across our network to address the demand,” Lao said.

Lao said Cebu Pacific sells seats to Sydney at an all-in fare of P8,999 until July 6, with the travel period set from February 1 to June 30, 2023. The budget airline offers a month-long seat sale as well, with the travel period spanning Aug. 1, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023.

Cebu Pacific reminded travelers bound for Sydney that they must present printed copies of their vaccination cards upon checking in. They must also complete their digital passenger declaration form at least 72 hours prior to departure.

As countries lift their quarantine restrictions, Cebu Pacific has increased its flight frequency to a number of destinations, including Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur, Nagoya, Osaka, Seoul and Singapore.

For 2022, listed Cebu Air Inc., operator of Cebu Pacific, has allocated P32.8 billion for its capital expenditures, as it plans to add seven new aircraft to its fleet to serve the recovering demand for travel.