Airlines cut back flights as Philippine holiday hotspot Boracay braces for closure

A decision by Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to shut the holiday hotspot of Boracay, which he has called a "cesspool", prompted airlines to cut flights Thursday, as hotels prepared for cancellations and businesses appeared resigned to a move the govt said was non-negotiable. Duterte late Wednesday ordered the closure of Boracay for 6 months from April 26 in a bid to rescue from ruin a once idyllic island that drew 2m tourists and generated over a billion dollars in revenue last year. Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and AirAsia Philippines said they would scale down services to the 2 airports from April 26 to Oct 25, and add more to other popular beach and dive destinations. Cebu Pacific, the dominant domestic carrier, said it cancelled 14 daily round-trip flights and anticipated a loss of US$3 to $5m over the 6 months. <br/>