PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — South Korea’s low-cost airline Eastar Jet marked the operation of its five-month daily flights in this city early Monday morning, with a Boeing 737-800 maiden flight filled with 150 tourists.
The aircraft navigated by Eastar Jet pilot Joo Jae-Do arrived at the Puerto Princesa City International Airport (PPCIA) at 12:07 a.m. on Oct. 29 from the Incheon International Airport (IIA) in the Seoul City’s Jung District.
Joo said the flight took four hours and 15 minutes from IIA to the PPCIA.
“We’re very happy to have the inaugural flight from (IIA in) Seoul to Palawan. En route, the flight (has been) bumpy today. I hope South Korea and the Philippines expand their visitors and that more Koreans visit the Philippines and more Filipinos visit Korea,” Jae-Do said.
Eastar Jet has its headquarters in Banghwa-dong in Gangseo-gu in Seoul, South Korea. The airline operates in 14 destinations in the country, including Palawan through the PPCIA.
Eastar Jet station manager in Palawan, Lee Gangjin, said the province is currently their headquarters in the Philippines.
He added they are now eyeing the construction of their own airport to service their aircraft and passengers.
“We are weighing to make an airport for our passengers to this beautiful Palawan,” said Gangjin.
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) area manager for PPCIA Engr. Percy Malonesio, who led in welcoming the Eastar Jet maiden flight, said the daily direct flights to Palawan from October 29 to March 30, 2019, are expected to bring around 26,350 visitors.
“We are happy that all passengers are safe because of the successful landing. The passengers enjoyed and were happy to arrive here. We wish more flights to come here in Puerto Princesa City from South Korea,” he said.
Earlier, assistant Puerto Princesa City tourism officer Demetrio Alvior said that in 2017, Taiwanese visitors topped the list of foreign guests, followed by Americans, Chinese, Koreans, and British.
However, this trend might change towards the end of 2018 with “either Koreans or Chinese nationals dominating foreign arrivals” because of the direct international flights from their countries, he said.
“The Chinese and the Koreans might top this year’s list of the number of arrivals in the city because of the direct international flights we’re having now,” he added. (Celeste Anna Formoso/PNA)
