MAIDEN FLIGHT. The 72-seater ATR twin-engine turboprop aircraft of King Aces Travel and Tours lands at the Bantayan Island Airport on Wednesday morning (Aug. 28, 2024) during its maiden flight from Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the flight from Mactan will boost tourism on Bantayan Island. (Photo courtesy of Cebu Capitol PIO)
CEBU CITY – A 72-seater aircraft on Wednesday made its inaugural flight from Mactan-Cebu International Airport to Bantayan Island Airport, according to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
The ATR twin-engine turboprop aircraft of King Aces Travel and Tours took off at the MCIA in Lapu-Lapu City at exactly 8:08 a.m. and arrived at the Bantayan Island Airport some 28 minutes later.
According to Garcia, the development is a game-changer for Bantayan tourism, especially as the regular commercial flights are scheduled twice a week – Fridays and Sundays – to give way for high-spending tourists who want to visit the island on weekends.
“This advancement is crucial for our development as a leading tourist hotspot. By making travel faster and more efficient, we can attract more visitors and bolster our local economy,” she said.
The governor underscored the strategic importance of the commercial flight which is priced at a friendly rate of PHP888.
She cited the Prime Aces Holdings Corp. for agreeing to operate the newly opened commercial flight to Bantayan.
Bantayan, a premier beach and island adventure destination in northern Cebu, has attracted an influx of foreign and local tourists and is even considered Cebu’s top tourism drawer. (PNA)
