PAL, Cebu Pacific to help repatriate OFWs in Kuwait

The Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific (CEB) on Saturday pledged to mount special flights to Kuwait to help repatriate overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Gulf state. (Photo by lkarasawa/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

MANILA — The Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific (CEB) on Saturday pledged to mount special flights to Kuwait to help repatriate overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Gulf state.

The airlines made this announcement after President Rodrigo Duterte requested local carriers to help repatriate the OFWs in Kuwait.

Duterte also ordered the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to work on the repatriation.

PAL said it plans to utilize its 363-seater Airbus A330, and is already coordinating with the DFA and the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait for the necessary requirements.

“PAL is more than ready to mount extra flights to Kuwait, as needed,” the flag carrier said in a statement.

Similarly, Cebu Pacific will have a special flight charter flight from Kuwait to Manila for free.

Cebu Pacific told the Philippine News Agency that as of now, they could only provide one special flight for repatriation in the coming days.

It is set to deploy an Airbus A330 with a maximum capacity of 436 passengers.

Cebu Pacific will also provide free food, refreshment and baggage allowance for returning OFWs in the flight.

In a statement, Cebu Pacific said special arrangements are currently being made since it no longer has regular commercial air service between Manila and Kuwait.