Direct flight from Cebu to Qatar resumes operations

Airport personnel from Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) made a water-salute on a Boeing 777-300 from Qatar Airways as it landed in Cebu last July 24. Airport authorities announced on August 1 that direct flights between Cebu and Qatar have resumed since July 24, and will serve passengers thrice a week. | Photos courtesy of GMCAC #CDNDigital

MOALBOAL, Philippines — As the Philippines and other countries in the world slowly reopened their borders in a bid to revive the health of the economy, some long-haul international flights from Cebu have also resumed operations.

Airport authorities on Saturday, August 1, announced that Qatar Airways had relaunched its direct service from Cebu to Doha, Qatar since July 24.

In a press release, airport consortium GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) that the flight will operate thrice a week — every Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday.

“The Cebu-Doha service will operate every Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday with a Boeing 777-300 aircraft and a capacity of 42 business class seats and 312 economy class seats,” said GMCAC.

Airport officials were also quoted as saying that this development gave stakeholders of the aviation industry, one of the badly-hit sectors by the coronavirus crisis, hope to push forward.

“Despite the challenges we have encountered at the start of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the relaunching of Qatar Airways’ Cebu-Doha route gives us hope to push forward and remain resilient through these tough times,” said Lawyer Steve Dicdican, general manager of MCIA Authority (MCIAA).

For his part, GMCAC Chief Executive Advisor Andrew Acquaah-Harrison said that the ‘“relaunching of our Doha service allows us to adhere to their commitment of offering more connectivity to the rest of the world.”

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, also welcomed the resumption of their direct flight connecting Cebu and Qatar.

“We are delighted to be launching a new direct service to Cebu, offering our passengers another gateway into the Philippines. Being the airline that has never stopped flying since COVID-19 hit, it has been Qatar Airways’ mission to take people home safely during the pandemic, and we have helped more than two million people get home to their loved ones since February,” Baker said.

MCIA is the second-busiest airport in the Philippines and also served as a hub for several long-haul flights. /dbs