Japan has agreed to allow Cebu Pacific Air of the Philippines to launch flight services to Japan, the transport ministry said Friday.
It will be the third low-cost airline to start flights to Japan, after Australian Jetstar Airways and Hong Kong Express Airways. The move is expected to intensify severe price competition at a time when the economy is deteriorating.
From Nov. 20, Cebu Pacific will start operating round-trip flights three times a week between Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture and Manila International Airport with 150- to 180-seat medium-sized airplanes.
The airline previously planned to launch flights to Japan in July but postponed the start of the service mainly due to surging fuel costs.
Cebu Pacific owns 20 airplanes and operates 20 routes to China and Southeast Asian countries from Manila and Cebu.