Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has resumed its direct flights between Cebu and Osaka, Japan, offering a renewed connection between the two key cities after the pandemic. The service, which started on December 22, 2024, operates three times a week, using an Airbus A321-231 aircraft.
The inaugural flight, PR-410, departed from Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) at noon and was celebrated with a send-off ceremony. The event was attended by notable figures, including Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo and Consul General Hideaki Matsuo, alongside PAL executives and government officials, including Cebu City Congresswoman Marguerite Del Mar, Department of Tourism Regional Director Judy Gabato, and MCIAA General Manager Julius Neri.
“We are excited to serve the Cebu-Osaka market once again, so we can offer leisure and business travelers from Cebu and the central Philippines a more convenient direct access to Osaka and the western regions of Japan. We will do our best to invite Japanese tourists to visit Cebu and discover the rich natural and cultural wonders of the Philippines. We look forward to welcoming travelers on board our nonstop flights with PAL’s distinctly Filipino brand of gracious service and hospitality,” said PAL President & Chief Operating Officer Captain Stanley K. Ng.
Athanasios Titonis, CEO of Aboitiz InfraCapital GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “The resumption of Philippine Airlines’ [Osaka] Kansai flights is a testament to our commitment to restoring and strengthening MCIA’s international network. This milestone reaffirms our mission to position MCIA as a world-class gateway, offering passengers seamless travel options and connecting Cebu to key global destinations.”
Flight PR-410 departs from Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) every Monday, Thursday, and Sunday at 11:45 a.m., arriving at Kansai International Airport (KIX) at 5:00 p.m. The return flight, PR409, leaves Osaka at 6:00 p.m. and lands in Cebu at 9:40 p.m. on the same days.
PAL’s relaunch of this route provides travelers with a convenient non-stop option, eliminating the need for connecting flights through Manila. This is expected to be particularly beneficial for business and leisure travelers from the Visayas region.
This is not the first time PAL has offered direct flights between Cebu and Osaka. The carrier previously operated the route from December 2014, flying four times weekly until the COVID-19 pandemic. It had made previous attempts to offer services on the route prior to 2014 as well.
Further strengthening its commitment to the Cebu-Osaka route, PAL will add a fourth weekly flight starting February 26, 2025. This will expand the service to include Wednesdays, adding one flight on each sector.
PAL says the relaunched route complements its existing twice-daily flights between Manila and Osaka. The airline boasts the largest network of flights connecting the Philippines and Japan, operating 56 weekly flights from Manila to various Japanese cities, including Tokyo (Haneda and Narita), Nagoya, and Fukuoka, in addition to the daily Cebu-Tokyo Narita service.
From Cebu, PAL also operates international flights to Seoul-Incheon three times a week and to Bangkok daily, providing further connectivity for travelers in the region.
PAL also encourages travelers to connect on their flights to local destinations from Mactan-Cebu, including Bacolod, Borongan, Busuanga (Coron), Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caticlan (Boracay), Cotabato, Davao, General Santos, Iloilo, Ozamiz, Puerto Princesa, Siargao, Tacloban and Zamboanga.
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