SEAIR Allowed to Fly Cebu, Davao

January 27, 2011

Singapore - Tiger Airways local subsidiary SOUTH EAST Asian Airlines, Inc. (Seair) announces flights to Cebu and Davao from Manila by summer after the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) upheld the airline's right to fly in the Philippines.

Seair was supposed to fly major domestic routes back in July 2011, but other local carriers, Philippine Airlines, Cebu Air, Inc. (Cebu Pacific), and Air Philippines Corp. (Airphil Express), complained of cabotage violations alleging Tiger as a foreign entity. Philippine Law grants the right of transporting goods and passengers between two or more points within the Philippines only to local airlines.

The airline was able to convinced CAB that its merely leasing Aircraft from Tiger Airways, and that of their reservation system for marketing purposes. It was able to proved that it is still an independent airline in the Philippines. CAB Resolution No. 1 issued on May 18, 2011, ordered Seair to stop the sale of seats for its Manila-Davao and Manila-Cebu routes planned for July 2011. The CAB lifted the cease and desist order in October last year.

The problem now is the aircraft to be used for major domestic services as the carrier awaits delivery of its 3rd and 4th  airbus aircraft for domestic and international operations. Two of its Airbuses are operating internationally. 

Seair flies to Macau, Hongkong, Bangkok, and Singapore from the carrier’s hub in Clark International Airport.

“ We’re looking to fly these route by April or May,” says Avelino L. Zapanta, SEAIR President and Chief Executive Officer.

“We’re just waiting for developments from the sources of the two aircraft that will be acquired for the Cebu and Davao operations,” Mr. Zapanta said.

The two new aircraft will also be used to fly Kuching, Penang, Langkawi, and Kota Kinabalu all in Malaysia, and some points in China, Mr. Zapanta said. The airline also plans to fly South Korea and Japan in the future.