MANILA, Philippines - Another international airline has discontinued one of its direct flights, this time between Cebu and the Emirates, due to the high costs of operating in the Philippines.
Aviation industry sources said that Qatar Airways operated its last Cebu to Doha flight last March 26.
It was the last direct flight between Cebu and the Middle East and could affect overseas Filipino workers from the Visayas as well as arrivals of business and leisure travelers from the Middle East and Europe.
The airline said it will retain its twice-a-week direct flights from Manila to Doha, Qatar.
The end of the thrice-a-week Cebu to Doha flights provides a sad backdrop to the visit in Manila of the oil-rich emirate’s leader, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, later this month.
Earlier, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced the end of its Manila to Amsterdam flights because of the common carrier’s tax imposed by the Philippine government. It was the last direct flight between the Philippines and Europe.
KLM offered the 14-hour nonstop route for eight years before it made the announcement last week.
KLM general manager for South China Sea Cees Ursem said it had to transform its current operations between Manila and Amsterdam to one with an intermediate stop in Taipei to pick up passengers.
Before KLM dropped out of the nonstop Manila-Europe route, Lufthansa of Germany ceased its direct flights from Manila to Europe in 2008.