Riyadh on Cebu Pacific’s radar

MANILA, Philippines — Budget carrier Cebu Pacific plans to launch direct flights to the largest market for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), drawing confidence from the success of its recent expansion moves.

The carrier that now reaches Dubai on a weekly basis is setting its sights on another destination in the Middle East: Riyadh, the capital of the largest OFW market Saudi Arabia.

Currently, Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer Alexander Lao said the airline is evaluating the opportunities and requirements in mounting Manila flights to Riyadh.

Although nothing is final yet, Lao said Riyadh is one of the routes being studied by Cebu Pacific as part of its expansion. Recently, the airline has entered new routes known for leisure activities, including Chiang Mai for cultural tours and Sapporo for winter vacation.

“We continue to study the route including its viability, regulatory requirements, etc. Assuming all is good, we will make the announcements at the proper time,” Lao told The STAR.

Riyadh is popular to Filipinos not as a tourist spot, but as an employment gateway, as Saudi Arabia is home to hundreds of thousands of OFWs.

Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Saudi Arabia accounted for 20 percent of 2.16 million OFWs across the world in 2023, making it the biggest OFW market.