Philippines' low-cost carrier suspends flights to Kuwait, Riyadh and Doha

Another Filipino airline catering to the Middle East market, this time Cebu Pacific Air, is suspending operations in some countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. The low-cost carrier, which is headquartered in Manila, Philippines and operates the Dubai route, announced on Wednesday that it is ceasing flights to and from Kuwait, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and Doha in Qatar. The suspension of flights will take effect on different dates, with the first cancellation slated for next month. The last outbound flights from Kuwait, Riyadh and Doha will be on June 14, July 3 and July 1, respectively.<br/>“These routes are no longer viable and sustainable,” the airline said.<br/>In a statement sent to Gulf News, the airline admitted that its business has been affected by competition in the aviation industry, especially with the aggressive expansion undertaken by other carriers. "The entry of Cebu Pacific into these markets benefitted passengers with lower fares and more choices. Of late, other carriers have aggressively added more flights, which has resulted in substantial oversupply of seats and fares that are so low, hence making the routes unsustainable," said lawyer Jr Mantaring, VP for corporate affairs of Cebu Pacific.<br/>