International budget airline Tigerair is launching its Taoyuan, Taiwan-Puerto Princesa City, Palawan new air route, offering three flights a week starting on June 7, its management announced recently.
Puerto Princesa City will be Tigerair’s third direct service from Taoyuan, a special municipality in northwestern Taiwan.
The airline management said the three flights would depart from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TTIA) every week, leaving at 1:15 pm on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays for the Puerto Princesa City International Airport (PPCIA).
The return flights would leave from the city at 5:05 pm on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Meanwhile, City Tourism Office (CTO) promotions and marketing division chief Michie Meneses said to Palawan News on Wednesday that although Tigerair has not yet formally coordinated its maiden flight with their office, they are looking forward to welcoming it at the PPCIA.
“Very much welcome ‘yan dito sa city ‘yong mga additional international flights kasi right now ang existing natin is we have from Taipei. Hindi [pa] natin alam kung anong flight ‘yan kasi halimbawa meron tayong tinatawag na regular flight o chartered flight. Kapag chartered flight kung sino lang ‘yong dinala nila dito iyon lang din ‘yong babalikan ng same plane para sunduin. But of course kung halimbawa ‘yong capacity nong plane ay malaki halimbawa nasa 300 just imagine nasa 300 na turista ang dadagdag sa atin [every flight]. Malaki talaga ang magiging impact niya sa economy ng Puerto Princesa pagdating sa tourism industry,” Meneses said.
Tigerair Taiwan is the first native Taiwanese brand name for international budget flights with the aim to provide maximum possible efforts to warm, prompt, convenient and affordable means of travel.
Meneses said this will be the first Taoyuan to Puerto Princesa City flight because the present Taiwan direct international flight is only from Taipei, Taiwan.
She said if the Taoyuan direct flight materializes, it will be the first operation of Tigerair in the city and the province of Palawan.
Meneses also said the steady flow of direct international flights to Puerto Princesa can be attributed to the efforts of the CTO and the city government.
“Natutuwa tayo kung ‘yan talaga ay matutuloy ang June 7. Paghahandaan din talaga natin ang arrival niyan kasi ang lahat ng ating mga maiden flights na darating dito sa atin ay binibigyan din natin ng warm welcome reception sa airport. Naniniwala tayo na iba ‘yong nagagawa ng word of mouth. Kung makikita mo sa arrivals natin, nasa top 5 sila (Taiwan). So ‘yong experience ng mga naunang pumunta [dito sa atin] napo-post nila sa FB so nakikilala tayo. Sumatotal not only the destinations, but the experience itself, the people, of course, part ‘yan,” Meneses said.
