Council asks Qatar: Don’t stop Doha-Cebu flights

THE Cebu City Council has joined the appeal for Qatar Airways to reconsider its plan to suspend its Cebu-Doha flights starting March 26.

The flight cancellation will  affect Cebu  tourism, said Councilor Margot Osmeña in a resolution, which the council passed during its Feb. 22 session.

Having the Cebu-Doha flight since 2003 “has significantly contributed to the growth in the tourism industry of Cebu as well as the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao.”

“The flights of Qatar airways serve as the only direct link to the Middle East, the easiest link to Europe from Cebu benefiting not just tourists but also Overseas Filipino Workers,” said Osmeña’s resolution which the council approved.

The Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) was notified about the indefinite suspension of operations of Qatar’s summer schedule starting  March 26.

Hans Hauri, general manager of Marco Polo Plaza, earlier said that the suspension of the Cebu-Doha flight may have negative impact on Cebu’s summer tourist season especially since Cebu-Doha Qatar flights were gateways for Cebu’s European market.

Cebu business leaders earlier asked the national government to amend policies that would enable international carriers like Qatar Airways to operate profitably in major destinations such as Cebu.

Qatar has cited high fuel prices and high operations cost as reason for suspending their Cebu-Doha flights which it said was no longer profitable. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac