Cebu Pacific Air (CEB), the Philippines’ leading airline, intends to resume the Sydney-Manila route with three times weekly frequency in July following the easing of COVID restrictions both in the Philippines and Australia.
CEB’s direct Sydney-Manila flights will utilise the airline’s high capacity A330 fleet, capable of carrying up to 436 passengers (A330ceo), or 459 passengers (A330neo) at a time.
The carrier touched down in Sydney for the first time on September 9, 2014. CEB flights to and from Australia were halted in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are happy to fly back to Australia after such a long time. The route resumption comes alongside CEB’s 100% restoration of pre-pandemic domestic capacity, enabling Australians and Filipinos residing or working in Australia to easily and safely explore the Philippines with our widest domestic network,” said Xander Lao, Chief Commercial Officer at Cebu Pacific.
The carrier is offering flights to 31 domestic destinations which tourists may also visit from Manila, namely, Bacolod, Bohol, Boracay, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Calbayog, Camiguin, Cauayan, Cebu, Coron, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Legazpi, Masbate, Naga, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, San Jose, Siargao, Surigao, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Virac, and Zamboanga.
Australian nationals are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a period of 30 days. After two years, leisure travellers may now visit popular attractions again in the Philippines, and enjoy its dive spots, beaches, and other outdoor activities.
Earlier this year, the Philippines reopened its borders to foreign tourists, with requirements made simpler for fully vaccinated individuals.
Travellers flying to the Philippines who have received the two-dose series or single-dose vaccine (Janssen), and at least 1 booster shot, are no longer required to present COVID-19 test results for entry, according to the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). However, those without booster shots will still need to show their negative test results prior to boarding (RT-PCR test taken 48 hours before departure or antigen test taken 24 hours before departure). For more information, passengers may refer to CEB Travel reminders page for the latest updates and complete travel guidelines to their destination.
Cebu Pacific operates the widest domestic network in the Philippines, and offers guaranteed low fares to stimulate travel across its network, covering 34 domestic, and 16 international destinations.
CEB also offers options for passengers’ peace of mind for more savings and flexibility in their travel plans. For as low as AUD50, passengers can purchase CEB Flexi, an add-on that allows passengers to store the value of their booking into Travel Fund, without paying for any cancellation fee. This may also be purchased as a bundle via GO Flexi on their initial booking at www.cebupacificair.com.
CEB continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety, while it operates with a 100% fully vaccinated crew, 91% of whom have been boosted – all to ensure everyone flies safely and conveniently on Cebu Pacific.
