Direct flights from Incheon, Korea, to Puerto Princesa City are expected to resume in 2023 after being halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
City tourism head Demetrio Alvior said Friday that they are currently negotiating with SkyJet to facilitate direct flights from Incheon to Puerto Princesa City and vice versa.
Alvior noted that the commercial flights will be scheduled three times a week.
“May nakausap ako nakaraan na gusto magkaroon ng direct flight sa PPC, three times a week, Incheon-PPS siya at commercial hindi chartered. Sya ay CEO ng SkyJet, mayroon din sila sa Boracay,” he said.
The City Tourism Department (CTD) expects the direct flights to start in January or February 2023.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) will also assist the airline to coordinate with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
“Ang unang plano ay December pero mukhang hindi aabutin pero nagpadala na ako ng AVP sa kanya para mapresent doon sa Korean. January or February ay titingnan natin kung matutuloy na kaya napakaganda,” Alvior said.
He added that this would be beneficial to the city government as it would boost the tourism industry and the economy of Puerto Princesa City.
Alvior also said that it implies that investors are slowly getting back on track by opening up economic activities in the city after the pandemic.
“Ang daming investors na gusto mag-invest dito kaya lang syempre may timeline yan pero ang maganda doon nakikita natin na mayroon may gusto na maginvest dito,” he said.
In 2018, the Philippine Airlines (PAL) opened direct flights from Seoul (Incheon) and Busan to Puerto Princesa City and vice versa, but stopped during the pandemic.
