Private airline sets up $10 million office in Subic airport
Posted on September 11th, 2009
The Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) will be home to a private airline company come December this year. The Pacific Pearl Airways, which offers domestic and foreign chartered flights, will be spending $10 million to set up its base at the SBIA.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza said that a memorandum of agreement has already been signed with Pearl Pacific president Kristoffer Jimenez. The private airline company will be starting with two Boeing 737-200 aircraft capable of seating 114 passengers for international flights, while it would have turboprop aircraft for initial domestic flights from Subic to Boracay, Bohol, Cebu and Davao.
Jimenez said that these flights destinations will expand as they establish their presence in the local airline industry. He added that they would be offering competitive rates without sacrificing quality service costs, which was made possible by tax incentives and other perks offered by the SBMA.
One of their advantage over other airlines, according to Jimenez, is that its direct flights eliminate stopover hassles. This allows passengers to gain more savings and more quality holidays because travel time is reduced significantly.
Pearl Pacific sees Subic as a “very strategic location.†Jimenez said, “A lot of tourists come here – foreigners and locals alike. It is also a booming place in terms of businesses.†They also plan to other destinations like Taiwan. Arreza said the company is just waiting for the approvals from abroad. They want to fly to Taiwan and are just awaiting government permits for that.
Pearl Pacific was organized in September 2006 and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with necessary permits from the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board and the Air Transportation Office.
The entry of Pearl Pacific, Arreza said, proves that the free port is still an investment attraction despite the current global economic crisis.
