Direct flight services from Iloilo to Hong Kong and Singapore (vice versa) were recently announced by Cebu Pacific Air, the Philippines’ largest budget carrier. Cebu Pacific plans to make the Iloilo International Airport its 5th “flight hub” in the country.

In line with this development, Cebu Pacific Air also launched two new domestic flight routes from Iloilo direct to General Santos and Puerto Princesa (gateway to Palawan), and increased flight frequency for Iloilo-Manila services.

Cebu Pacific Airbus A320, ready for boarding at the Iloilo International Airport (Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Iloilo)

Iloilo to Singapore and Hong Kong Direct Flights

Cebu Pacific will begin twice (2x) weekly flight services between Iloilo and Hong Kong on November 8, 2012. Meanwhile, thrice (3x) weekly “Iloilo-Singapore” flights will commence on November 9, 2012.

These newly announced flights will be direct services. As such, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) together with other government agencies involved have already set in motion preparations for the 24-hour operations and opening of an immigration office at the Iloilo Airport among others.

The new international flight details are as follows:

  • Iloilo (ILO) to Hong Kong (HKG)-  Flight# 5J242
    • Frequency: Thursday / Sunday
    • Estimated time of departure (ETD): 2310H
    • Estimated time of arrival (ETA): 0135H
    • Aircraft: Airbus A320
    • Effective period: November 8, 2012 until further notice
  • Hong Kong to Iloilo- Flight#5J243
    • Frequency: Monday / Friday
    • ETD: 0220H
    • ETA: 0445H
    • Aircraft: Airbus A320
    • Effective: November 9, 2012 UFA
  • Iloilo (ILO) to Singapore (SIN)- Flight#5J255
    • Frequency: Monday / Wednesday / Friday
    • ETD: 2225H
    • ETA: 0155H
    • Aircraft: Airbus A320
    • Effective: November 9, 2012 UFA
  • Singapore to Iloilo- Flight#5J256
    • Frequency: Tuesday / Thursday / Saturday
    • ETD: 0240H
    • ETA: 0610H
    • Aircraft: Airbus A320
    • Effective: November 10, 2012 UFA

New Cebu Pacific flights to Palawan and General Santos

Along with newly announced international flights, Cebu Pacific will also commence two new domestic flight routes at the Iloilo Airport: four weekly flights between Iloilo and General Santos and thrice weekly flights for Iloilo-Puerto Princesa (gateway to Palawan) route. The budget airline will also increase its flight frequency Iloilo-Manila services to 7x daily.

  • Iloilo (ILO) to General Santos (GES)
    • Frequency: 4 times weekly; Tue-Thu-Sat-Sun
    • ETD: 1415H
    • ETA: 1535H
    • Effective: November 9, 2012 UFA
  • General Santos to Iloilo
    • Frequency: 3 times weekly; Tue-Thu-Sat-Sun
    • ETD: 1605H
    • ETA: 1720H
    • Effective: November 9, 2012 UFA
  • Iloilo (ILO) to Puerto Princesa (PPS)
    • Frequency: 3 times weekly; Mon-Wed-Fri
    • ETD: 0745H
    • ETA: 0850H
    • Effective: November 9, 2012 UFA
  • Puerto Princesa to Iloilo
    • Frequency: 3 times weekly; Mon-Wed-Fri
    • ETD: 0920H
    • ETA: 1025H
    • Effective: November 9, 2012 UFA

Iloilo Airport, the Philippines’ newest international gateway

These developments came in light of Cebu Pacific Air’s plan of making the Iloilo Airport as its 5th flight hub in the Philippines (after Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Clark). It may have been a strategic move for Cebu Pacific considering the volume of passengers flying with Cebu Pacific at the Iloilo Airport. In 2011, Cebu Pacific garnered a majority 57.39% share or 907,505 passengers of total passenger traffic at the Iloilo Airport.

With the introduction of international flights, the Iloilo Airport will be officially known as the “Iloilo International Airport.”

The New Iloilo Airport was inaugurated on June 13, 2007 and opened to commercial flights on June 14, 2007. It was a replacement to the old Iloilo Domestic Airport in Mandurriao, which has served Iloilo for more than 50 years. The New Iloilo Airport was built to accommodate the rising number of air passenger and air cargo traffic in Iloilo and improve air transportation safety in compliance with international standards.

Cebu Pacific “ILOILOw” Promo

If you are interested to buy cheap fares for these new flights, Cebu Pacific is offering very low fares on its latest seat sale promotion (selling period only up to July 19, 2012).

View the latest promos from Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and AirAsia Zest.