The Philippines’ leading airline, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), safely brought home 11,423 Filipinos from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, India, Vietnam, Lebanon, and Bahrain through Bayanihan and other chartered flights that were mounted with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) since July 2021.
From Dubai alone, CEB brought home at the end of the year a total of 8,750 Filipinos via Bayanihan flights, in support of the government’s repatriation program to reunite our fellow countrymen with their families during the pandemic.
Bayanihan flights or special commercial flights were mounted in coordination with the Philippine government’s special working group. The government in May 2021 implemented a travel ban to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which made it necessary for the government to fly repatriation flights.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to fly our Kababayans home to reunite with their loved ones or attend to urgent matters. We will continue this meaningful collaboration with stakeholders so we can assist more Filipinos,” said Alex Reyes, Chief Strategy Officer at Cebu Pacific.
The UAE recently lifted capacity restrictions on the Dubai-Manila route, enabling CEB to resume its daily commercial flights beginning March 1, in time for the easing of Philippine arrival quarantine restrictions and reopening of borders for tourists.
Travel requirements for these flights are in accordance with the revised entry and quarantine protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases announced on February 3, 2022. (Read more here IATF Resolution 160-A for Filipinos, and IATF Resolution 160-B for foreign nationals)
Before going to the airport, passengers are advised to check the travel requirements, safety protocols, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the CEB website: http://bit.ly/CEBFaqs
Passengers are advised to update their contact details via http://bit.ly/CEBUpdateInfo to receive email notifications on flight reminders and updates.
CEB operates the widest domestic network in the Philippines, on top of its extensive international network that spans across Asia and the Middle East. Its 74-strong fleet, one of the youngest in the world, includes two (2) dedicated ATR freighters.
