Regular flights to the Philippines set to resume in October

▲ Although travel to the Philippines has been reinstated, whether the tourism market can rebound in the short term remains to be seen. (Photo / Provided by the Taiwan Office of the Philippine Department of Tourism)

Reported by Chen Tzu-yin / Special Feature

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has finally lifted the red travel alert for the Philippines, especially for popular destinations like Boracay and Cebu, once again warmly welcoming Taiwanese travelers. Airlines are also gearing up for direct flights, with China Airlines confirming direct flights to Boracay starting October 18, Far Eastern Air Transport to Cebu from October 10, Philippine Airlines to Boracay from October 9, and adding flights to Cebu from November 1. The Philippines is gradually becoming a popular travel destination for Taiwanese tourists.

However, chartered flights may still have to wait, as it's uncertain whether Taiwanese tourists will regain confidence and lead to a quick rebound. Airlines are not in a rush to resume direct flights to Boracay and Cebu and prefer to “test the waters” first.

Chen Hsin-hao, chairman of K’s Travel Service, the Taiwan general agent for Cebu Pacific and also the founder of the “Philippine Industry Rights Self-Help Association” established after the red travel alert was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that although Cebu Pacific’s passenger load factor remained at around 80%—a relatively minor impact—seeing the heavy losses suffered by travel agencies made him feel the government should not have designated the Philippines as a red-alert travel destination over a single incident. Whether the two events were directly related is indeed debatable.

However, after the lifting of the alert, travel agencies, airlines, and the Philippine Department of Tourism have been working together to actively revive Taiwanese travelers’ confidence in visiting the Philippines. Regarding direct flights, Chen Hsin-hao has a different view: “The average traveler might think direct flights are more convenient, but in reality, connecting flights can also be quite comfortable. Moreover, since the recovery is still being observed, supply and demand issues need to be closely watched. Of course, if sales pick up for travel agencies, direct flights won’t be a problem.” Confident in his airline’s connecting airport services, Chen added that travelers can actually use the waiting time between connections to rest or shop at the airport malls.

 
▲ Unlike other airlines, Cebu Pacific believes in offering connecting flight services for now and will consider direct flights once the market situation becomes clearer. (Left image / Provided by K’s Travel Service, the Taiwan general agent for Cebu Pacific; right image / Sourced from Cebu Pacific’s official Facebook page)