Skyjet Airlines, Philippines newest domestic carrier

[timrev]

Budget-but-full-service airline flies to Batanes, 4 other exotic local destinations

MANILA, Philippines - Skyjet Airlines, the country’s newest domestic carrier operator, offers passengers the full service of a legacy carrier at affordable fares eyeing largely exotic under-served and un-served tourism destinations across the country.

Aside from first domestic route to Basco, Batanes, Skyjet, will soon fly to four other destinations, namely Busuanga in Palawan, Virac in Catanduanes, Catarman in Northern Samar, and Surigao City, said Magnum Air (Skyjet) Inc. CEO Joel Mendoza.

Regular flights to Basco and back to Manila are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from Terminal 4 of the Manila Domestic Airport. Flight time to Basco, Batanes, at 5:30 a.m. to arrive there at about 6:40 a.m., and fly back to Metro Manila at 7:10 a.m.

"With the introduction today of Skyjet Airlines, we enter today's growing leisure travel market on a truly competitive basis, call it boutique or leisure premium airline, a cross between an low-cost carrier and a legacy carrier," said Mendoza.

He noted a big demand for a full service carrier with affordable fares that offers additional seating comfort, space, and enhanced meal, beverage, in-flight entertainment and full staff service.

Skyjet got the green light from the Civil Aviation Board (CAB) only this month with licence to operate charter services for domestic and international routes, regular scheduled service for domestic destinations, and cargo services.

It has an initial fleet of two 94-seater, 4-engine BAE 146-200 jets that are specifically made for short landings and takeoffs that is designed to operates even in unpaved runways assuring passengers of ease in landing even in smaller airports.

“We focus on safety," Mendoza said. "Our aircraft can operate in the most challenging runways and weather conditions in the Philippines as certified by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)."

He explained that most commercial airplanes are certified to take off from and land at airports with a maximum runway slope of only two degrees, or runways which are almost flat. "Our aircraft can operate in an airport with a runway slope of more than two degrees like airports in Batanes, Baguio, Caticlan, and other secondary airports operated by CAAP," he said.

“By serving niche destinations, regardless of passenger traffic, we endeavor to contribute to the country’s economy by boosting local tourism while advocating for the preservation of natural resources and our cultural heritage,” said Mendoza, a medical dentist and a director of the Batanes Cultural Travel Agency, which has been selling travel packages to Batanes since 2007.

Magnum Air (Skyjet) Inc. has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission since September 2005; its key officials are former Batanes governor Telesforo Castillejos as chairman, Dr. Joel Mendoza as CEO, and Capt. Antonio Buendia, former president of Philippine Aerospace Development Corp. as director for flight operations.

[Retz]

We welcome this development. Mas madaming options at murang flights para sa atin.

[timrev]

sana sa santa ana, cagayan din tru san vicente airstrip gawin ng airport talaga...para mabilis ng makapunta sa port irene...