The Philippines’ largest airline, Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) will launch twice weekly direct flights between Manila, Philippines and Doha, Qatar, starting June 4.

The maiden Doha-Manila flight will be on June 5.

CEB will be the only Philippine carrier flying between these two cities, to serve more Filipino expats in the Middle East.

Its introductory fares start at QR88 ($24.15), for sale until March 22 or until seats last, a statement said.
These seat sale fares, which are up to 95 per cent lower than other airlines, are for travel from June 4 to December 31.

After the seat sale, CEB’s lowest year-round fares between Manila and Doha start at QR688 ($188), which is approximately 50 per cent lower than other airlines, according to the statement.

The non-stop service departs Doha every Tuesday and Friday at 4:15am, arriving in Manila at 6:35pm. The return flight departs Manila every Monday and Thursday at 9:35pm, arriving in Doha at 2:45am the next day.

This new route will utilize CEB’s brand-new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, with a configuration of 436 all-economy class seats. Hot meals, seats with extra legroom and Wi-Fi onboard, among others, are options that can be added to the fare.

CEB also offers fast and convenient same-terminal connecting flights for guests taking advantage of CEB’s extensive Philippine network.

“We are excited to offer Cebu Pacific’s trademark low fares to travellers in Doha, especially since we are the only low-cost carrier operating this route. With our expanding network, Qatar becomes more accessible from the Philippines, and the Filipino community can reunite with their families more often,” said CEB general manager for Long-Haul Division Alex Reyes.

The route will serve over 260,000 Filipinos in Qatar, based on Philippine Overseas Employment Administration 2009 stock estimates.

Qatar has the third-largest Filipino community in the Middle East. CEB already serves the other two key markets for Filipino expats: United Arab Emirates via direct flights to Dubai, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia via Riyadh. CEB is also the only airline flying direct between Manila and Kuwait. – TradeArabia News Service