Dubai: Emirates is set to launch its daily circular service from Dubai to Cebu (CEB) and Clark (CRK) in the Philippines effective March 30. The new route will strengthen international connectivity to two of the Philippines’ fastest-growing international hubs, Emirates said in a statement, adding that the airline will use Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on the new routes.
“With the opening of this service, Emirates will enhance the choice for travellers in the Philippines, who will be able to conveniently connect to 39 cities in Europe, 16 in the Middle East as well as a number of destinations across our extensive network in Africa and the Americas, including Panama from February 1,” stated Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates.
The new service, he added, would help to enhance the Philippines’ trade links with the rest of the world and boost incoming tourism, supporting the Department of Tourism’s ‘Visit the Philippines Again 2016’ campaign. It will also expand travel options for Filipinos from the Central Luzon region as well as the Visayas region and offer more flexibility for overseas workers departing Philippines or looking for options to fly home.
Since launching to Manila in 1990 Emirates has transported more than 7.5 million Filipinos, international tourists and business travellers. Last year alone, Emirates transported over 550,000 passengers on the Manila-Dubai route. Filipino community is fast growing in the UAE with their number crossing 700,000 residing in the UAE.
The island of Cebu lies in Visayas, one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, located on Cebu’s Mactan Island, is the second busiest airport in the Philippines, after Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Clark is based in Pampanga, a province in the Central Luzon region in the Philippines and a well-known hub for business processing services and tourism. Pampanga is served by Clark International Airport, which is in Clark Freeport Zone, a redevelopment of the former Clark Air Base, previously a United States Air Force base in the Philippines.
In terms of cargo, up to 14 tonnes of capacity will be offered in the bellyhold on this service. Popular Philippine exports on this route are expected to be perishables, such as dairy products, fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood and electronic equipment.
Emirates flights to Cebu and Clark will depart daily from Dubai as EK338 at 02:55hrs arriving at Mactan–Cebu International Airport at 15:50. The service will then depart from Cebu at 17:25 and arrive at Clark International Airport at 18:45. The return flight will depart Clark at 20:20, arriving at Dubai International Airport at 01:25 the next day.
During a recent ceremony for travel agents, Khalid Bel Jaflah, Divisional Vice-President, Commercial Operations UAE and Oman, said: “The circular Cebu and Clark routes will be the first new passenger destinations for Emirates in the 2016 calendar year and our preparations for the launch are currently in full swing. With a month to go we are ramping up our activities in our hub of Dubai and around our global network, in order to increase tourism flows in both directions.”
Timings of the new service have been scheduled to allow for seamless connections to many GCC routes, via a convenient stopover in Dubai.
The two-class configured Boeing 777-300ER, which Emirates will operate on the route, offers 42 seats in Business Class and 386 seats in Economy Class
