Cebu Pacific asked the Civil Aeronautics Board for flights entitlements from Manila to Melbourne, as the low-cost carrier plans to mount flights to the Australian city by the middle of 2018.
Cebu Pacific vice president of corporate communications JR Mantaring said the airline requested the Philippine air panel to hold air talks with the government of Australia.
Manataring said the airline requested for 872 seats between Manila and Melbourne.
“I think our request is still pending with the CAB,” Mantaring said.
The Philippine air panel and its counterpart in Australia raised seat entitlements between the two countries to 9,300 seats from 6,300 seats per week in 2015.
Cebu Pacific currently operates between Manila and Sydney, while Philippine Airlines flies to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Darwin.
Cebu Pacific increased flight frequency between Manila and Sydney from five times weekly to daily operations beginning Dec. 1, 2017 to Jan. 31, 2018. The airline also offers the most number of seats between Manila and Sydney.
Data from the Department of Tourism showed that Australian tourists visiting the Philippines reached 166,993 in the first eight months of the year.
Cebu Pacific earlier reported a net income of P4.38 billion in the first nine months, down by 38.3 percent from P7.09 billion in the same period last year.
The airline generated revenues of P50.33 billion, up 7.8 percent from P46.69 billion last year.
Its passenger revenues increased to P36.93 billon from P35.36 billion, on higher passenger volume during the period.
Cargo revenues also grew 29 percent to P3.29 billion from P2.55 billion last year.