Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago (right), with Otham Al Zamil, Director for Operations and Fire Service and  Mohammed Al-Sayegh, Chief of Flight Scheduling of King Khalid International Airport, assisted by Cebu Pacific officials based in Riyadh and from Manila, welcome the inaugural flight of the airline.

Cebu Pacific, one of the Philippines’ flag carriers, made its first inaugural non-stop Manila – Riyadh - Manila flight on Oct. 1, 2014.



Cebu Pacific Flight Number 5J 740, a twin-engine Airbus 330-300, operated by Captain Danny Ronquillo and Captain Paul Mendoza, landed at the King Khalid International Airport at 10:30 p.m. carrying 259 passengers from Manila.



Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago was at the airport to welcome the passengers and the crew onboard the Cebu Pacific flight, together with Cebu Pacific and Saudi immigration officials.



A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the Terminal 1 of the King Khalid International Airport led by Ambassador Tago, with Otham Al Zamil, Director for Operations and Fire Service and  Mohammed Al-Sayegh, Chief of Flight Scheduling of King Khalid International Airport. They were assisted by Cebu Pacific officials based in Riyadh and from Manila, as well.



In his short message, Ambassador Tago said “the arrival of Cebu Pacific in the Kingdom is a sign of the enduring friendship between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”



The European Union’s Update on Airline Aviation’s Safety List issued on April10,  2014  included Cebu Pacific among those removed from EU blacklist, noting that that the development onCebu Pacific further proves that the air safety in the Philippines has improved.



Aside from Riyadh, Cebu Pacific also made its inaugural flight at the King Fahad International Airport in Dammam  yesterday (Oct. 3). — SG