Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and CEO Alexander Cauguiran met here yesterday with officials of the Fontana Leisure Park and Chinese tour operator Dynasty Holiday to finalize plans for twice-a-week flights between Clark and Guangzhou in time for the Christmas season.
“Mounting chartered flights to Guangzhou will open wide the tourism market from China,” said Cauguiran.
Jacky Zhang of Dynasty Holiday said his group is now coordinating with Sichuan Airlines for chartered flights from the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangdong province, using Airbus A-320 aircraft.
“We are planning to start with the chartered flights as soon as possible after approval of requirements by the Civil Aeronautics Board by yearend,” Zhang noted.
He expressed confidence that “the Chinese market is very ripe for the Philippines which is very near China.”
On the other hand, Cauguiran said “the goodwill earned from the President’s successful visit to China will be a big boost to Clark. The chartered flights we are arranging will definitely attract more Chinese tourists to come to our country.”
“With the impressive menu of big ticket projects with China committed during the President’s visit and the improved Philippine-China relations, we should expect a steady traffic of Chinese businessmen and tourists travelling to the country from hereon,” he noted.
Cauguiran said Sichuan Airlines is a regional airline based at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Sichuan province. It currently operates mostly domestic flights at the Chengdu and the Chongquing Jiangbei airports.
He also recalled that Sichuan Airlines launched its first long haul flights to Vancouver, Canada in 2012 and, only recently, to Los Angeles in the US.
