Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), the Philippines’s leading carrier, brought home 469 Filipinos from Dubai via three Bayanihan flights this week in response to the government’s call to repatriate overseas Filipinos (OF) who were stranded in the Middle East.
The CEB Bayanihan flights from Dubai-Manila on October 25, and Dubai-Davao on October 27 and 28 were mounted in coordination with the Philippine government’s special working group.
Passengers on these flights received meal upgrades and an additional 25 kilogram baggage allowance.
Guests were required to stay in a facility-based quarantine; and must take RT-PCR swab test on the fifth day if fully-vaccinated, or seventh day if partially vaccinated after arrival.
CEB coordinated with Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to accommodate all arriving overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and their dependents in Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ)-designated stringent quarantine hotels.
The cost of quarantine accommodation and testing for land-based OFWs was OWWA; while the Philippine Ports Authority covered the cost for sea-based OFWs.
Returning OFs or non-OFWs should arrange and pay for their testing and six-day hotel quarantine accredited by the BoQ.
“We are happy to keep on supporting the government in bringing home more fellow Filipinos. We are honored to help them reunite with their loved ones, especially now that we are entering the holiday season,” said Alex Reyes, chief strategy officer at Cebu Pacific.
CEB has repatriated more than 6,900 Filipinos from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, India, Vietnam, Lebanon, and Bahrain through Bayanihan and Department of Foreign Affairs-arranged charter flights since July.
CEB operates the widest domestic network in the Philippines covering 31 destinations, on top of its eight (8) international destinations. Its 74-strong fleet, one of the youngest in the world, includes two dedicated ATR freighters and one A330 freighter.