Cebu Air Inc., operator of Cebu Pacific, has filed a petition with the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) seeking additional flight entitlements to Australia to accommodate rising demand for tourism and trade.
The request was made under the Philippines-Australia Air Services Agreement, according to the CAB. A hearing on the application is scheduled for 14 October 2025. The agency invited opposition from concerned parties, with written objections due before the hearing date. Failure to oppose or attend will be considered a waiver of the right to be heard, CAB said.
This move comes as the Philippine Air Services Negotiating Panel pushes to increase the current 30,000 weekly seat entitlement between the two countries to 60,000. The panel includes officials from the CAB, Departments of Tourism, Transportation, and Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives from Clark International Airport Corp. and local airlines.
Cebu Pacific flies from Manila to Sydney and Melbourne, while Philippine Airlines operates flights from Manila to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
The Department of Tourism reported that Australian arrivals in the Philippines rose 19.44 percent year-on-year to 93,030 in the first quarter of 2025.
