Royal Air eyes Macau-Subic flights

Royal Air is planning to mount daily flights from Macau to Subic Bay using a 97-seater aircraft. (Pixabay photo)

MANILA — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is working with Royal Air to mount chartered flights between Macau (MFM) and Subic Bay International Airport seven times per week.

“Royal Air is among our airline partners, which the DOT is working with to bring in tourists from China. Through our Route Development Team, we are providing marketing support to air carriers to increase tourist traffic to underutilized international gateways in the Philippines, such as the Subic Bay International Airport,” DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Development and spokesperson Benito Bengzon Jr. said.

Royal Air is planning to mount daily flights from Macau to Subic Bay using a 97-seater aircraft.

The flight is expected to produce additional 697 international air seats or about 35,308 seats per year from China.

“Subic Bay is a special economic zone in the Philippines, which by law allows the entry of foreign nationals without the required visa for a maximum of 14 days. This is a good opportunity for Philippine tourism as Chinese nationals do not need to queue in our consular offices in China to secure the entry visa to the Philippines,” Bengzon said.

“Subic Bay has a lot to offer to leisure and business travelers with its natural, cultural, and adventure attractions coupled with world-class accommodations and other tourist facilities.”

Royal Air has just inaugurated its new Macau to Mactan Cebu International Airport (CEB) route last June 21.

The new daily MFM-CEB route is using the same type of aircraft, producing a total of 35,308 international air seats per year from China.

Royal Air is a registered air carrier in the Philippines that was granted the right to provide chartered air services, through a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity issued by the Civil Aeronautics Board in May 2017.

Likewise, Royal Air now flies from Macau to the Lallo International Airport in Cagayan using BAE RJ-100 aircraft with 97 mono-class seat capacity on a four-times-per-week schedule.