Governor, Airport welcome potential new airline
NOTE: The following is a joint release from the Governor’s Office and the A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2012
Next spring, tourists and Guam residents should have a new low-cost airline to and from the Philippines. Governor Eddie Baza Calvo and the A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam (GIAA) are pleased to announce that Cebu Pacific Air has applied with the U.S. Department of Transportation to fly from Manila to Guam by April 2013.
“We’re seeing progress and increased interest in our tourism industry. Companies want to do business and invest in Guam. We certainly welcome anyone who believes in our island and our people,” Governor Calvo said. “I’m hopeful our federal partners will look favorably on this application, so we can welcome more of our kababayans to our beautiful island.”
The airline began services in 1996 and launched their international routes out of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in 2001. The company is partially-owned and operated by the Gokongwei family from the Philippines. They now fly to Bangkok, Busan, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei with RP hubs in Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Clark International Airport, Francisco Bangoy International Airport and Iloilo International Airport.
Cebu Pacific is proposing service under a “wet lease” arrangement, which is when aircraft and crew of another airline is used, until the safety rating for the Republic of the Philippines is upgraded by the FAA to Category 1. This decision may be made by the end of this year.
“Team Guam has been working with Cebu Pacific for several years on their interest to serve Guam. Their application has been on hold since the restrictive Category 2 safety rating was imposed in January 2008. Once the USDOT opens the comment period, we will provide our support to their application!” stated GIAA Executive Manager Charles Ada.
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For more information, or to schedule an interview, call Phill Leon Guerrero at 929-7467.