Airlines gear up to ride booming travel to South Korea
Local airlines are looking to expand their flight capacity for the routes going to South Korea after Manila and Seoul had agreed on increasing weekly seat allotments.Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines agreed that the improved air services relations between the Philippines and South Korea would bode well for the aviation industry.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) recently announced that the weekly seat capacity for Manila-Incheon route was increased to 30,000 from 20,000. “PAL management constantly reviews opportunities to further expand its global network,” PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna told the Inquirer.
The flag carrier currently operates daily flights for Manila-Incheon and Manila-Busan routes. It also offers daily services for Seoul-Cebu, Seoul-Kaliba and Tagbilaran-Seoul flights.Xander Lao, president and chief commercial officer of the Gokongwei-led airline, said the “increase in weekly seat entitlements for flights between Manila and South Korea is a welcome and significant development for Cebu Pacific.”
“With the additional 10,000 seats, we now have greater flexibility to expand operations in South Korea, whether it be by introducing new routes, increasing flight frequencies, or using larger aircraft to boost tourist traffic not only for South Korea but also into the Philippines,” he added.
Cebu Pacific offers Manila-Incheon flights twice daily. Its Cebu-Incheon flights are available six times a week.
Meanwhile, AirAsia Philippines previously said they would “strategically plan the seat entitlement increase,” especially with the expected surge in travel to South Korea during the onset of winter season.
AirAsia flies passengers from Manila to Incheon daily.
While there is a limit imposed for the Manila-Incheon route, flights from points outside Manila to elsewhere in Korea “continue to be open and without limits under the new MOU (memorandum of understanding),” the DOTr explained.
