PHILIPPINE Airlines will resume flights between Cebu and Osaka (Kansai) starting Dec. 22, 2024.
In a statement Friday, Sept. 13, PAL said the resumption marks a decisive expansion of PAL’s network in Japan, the Philippines’ 4th largest source of tourist visitors and home to over 300,000 overseas Filipinos.
The service will operate three times weekly.
PR 410 will leave Cebu for Osaka every Monday, Thursday and Sunday, departing Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) at 11:45 a.m and arriving in Osaka at 5 p.m.
PR 409 will leave Osaka for Cebu every Monday, Thursday and Sunday, departing Osaka at 6 p.m. and arriving in MCIA at 9:40 p.m.
Moreover, the airline announced that starting Feb. 26, PAL will offer one additional weekly flight, increasing frequencies to four times weekly every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.
“We are delighted to make our comeback in the Cebu-Osaka market, just in time for the Christmas holiday season. Our direct flights from Mactan to Kansai will help us promote the tourism industry and local businesses in Cebu and the Visayas region, and deepen both bilateral relations and cultural ties with our Japanese counterparts. Philippine Airlines looks forward to giving travelers from Western Japan the opportunity to experience the outstanding resorts and heritage experiences that Cebu is famous for, or to reunite with loved ones in the Philippines,” said PAL president and chief operating officer Capt. Stanley K. Ng.
The Philippines welcomed 221,430 Japanese tourists as of Aug. 7. They are one of the country’s top tourist source markets after South Korea with 960,809 arrivals, the United States of America with 590,861 arrivals, China with 223,954 arrivals, and Australia with 152,835 arrivals.
Taiwan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia complete the list.
As of Aug. 7, the Philippines welcomed 3,336,021 foreign visitors. According to the Department of Tourism’s website, the latest figures show 4.16 million foreign tourists as of Sept. 10, though a detailed breakdown is not yet available.
Japan, on the other hand, welcomed over 400,000 Filipino tourists in the first half of 2024.
The Japan National Tourism Organization reported a 44.9 percent year-on-year increase, representing a 36.1 percent rise compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
In June alone, Japan received 65,000 tourists from the Philippines, making it the country’s sixth-largest market for visitor arrivals.
Overall, Japan registered 17,777,200 foreign visitors in the six-month period, with spending totaling 3.9 trillion yen.
Famous for its rich history, culture, cuisine and lively shopping districts, Osaka serves as the gateway to the former imperial capital of Kyoto, as well as nearby destinations like Nara, Kobe, and other popular areas around Kansai Bay. The city is also home to the Osaka Castle, Dotonbori area and Universal Studios Japan.
Cebu is also a favored choice for both leisure and English as a Second Language destination by Japanese travelers.
PAL is deploying a 199-seater Airbus A321 CEO for the Cebu-Osaka service.
The resumption of Cebu-Osaka services complements PAL’s twice-daily flights between Manila and Osaka Kansai and daily flights between Cebu and Tokyo Narita.
Altogether, PAL offers the largest network of flights on multiple routes linking the Philippines and Japan, with nonstop services to Osaka Kansai, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita. PAL also offers other international links from Cebu, with daily flights to Seoul (Incheon) and thrice weekly flights to Bangkok. / KOC
