Now fly Dubai-Manila for just Dh349

It was a traditional welcome with water cannons that awaited the inaugural Cebu Pacific flight that landed in Dubai, Monday, after the low cost carrier sent off its first daily non-stop nine-hour from Manila to the emirate.

CEB President and CEO Lance Gokongwei of the Phillippines-based carrier said during the flight launch ceremony in Manila: “When you, dear guests, land in Dubai later tonight, it will be aboard the first Philippine carrier to land there in 15 years. We proudly carry the Philippine flag in this historic moment.”

He continued: “When we say we fly to where Filipinos are, we mean it. This was our mindset when we launched our first international flight to Hong Kong in 2001. This remains our mindset as we launch our 22nd international destination now.”

Data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) shows that UAE ranks second to Saudi Arabia in terms of number of land-based new hires and rehires.

In 2012, there were 259,546 land-based workers deployed to UAE.

Department of Transportation and Communications Undersecretary and Chairman of the Philippine Air Negotiating Panel Hon. Jose Perpetuo Lotilla and key officials from the Embassy of the UAE, Civil Aeronautics Board, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and Manila International Airport Authority sent off the maiden flight passengers from Manila.

In Dubai, the send-off ceremony was graced by Grace Princesa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines in the UAE.

The maiden return flight departs Dubai at 11.10pm and will arrive 11:40am the following day in Manila.

The flight also carries 100 Global Filipinos Cebu Pacific is flying home for free, as part of its “100 Lucky Juans” contest.

The 100 lucky Juans, whose length of stay in the Middle East without returning to the Philippines is at least a year, will be welcomed with a homecoming party upon their arrival in Manila.

CEB’s Manila-Dubai-Manila service utilizes CEB’s brand-new Airbus A330 aircraft, recently delivered from Toulouse, France.

With lowest year-round fares starting at Dh349, CEB offers passengers fares that are up to 35 per cent lower than other carriers, it claims.

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