Cebu Pacific has safely brought home 217 Filipinos from Dubai

Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading carrier, safely brought home 217 Filipinos from Dubai recently, via special commercial flight 5J 27, in response to the government’s call for assistance to repatriate workers who were stranded due to the travel restriction. 

 

This was the seventh CEB-arranged Bayanihan flight that was mounted with the approval of the Philippine government’s special working group. The government imposed in May a travel ban to the United Arab Emirates to curb the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. 

 

Aside from meal and baggage allowance upgrades, passengers on this flight received gift packs from Universal Robina Corporation (URC). 

Passengers on Bayanihan flights must comply with strict protocols, including a negative RT-PCR test result taken 48 hours before departure; a pre-booked, 15-day/14-night stringent facility-based quarantine stay upon arrival; and another swab test to be taken seven (7) days after arrival. 

 

The cost of the quarantine hotel stays of OFWs (Overseas Filipinos Workers) and the RT-PCR tests on the seventh day will be shouldered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) or the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), while returning overseas Filipinos will cover their own hotel and RT-PCR test costs. 

 

CEB has coordinated with hotels accredited by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) to ensure that there are adequate facilities for passengers arriving on this flight. 

 

The accredited hotels for this flight are Axiaa Hotel, Go Hotels North Edsa, Go Hotels Timog, Manila Diamond Hotel, and Marriott Hotel. 

 

“We are grateful to be given the opportunity to continue offering our services to our kababayans at this time,” said Alex Reyes, Chief Strategy Officer at Cebu Pacific.  “We want to help the government to safely bring home more Filipinos.” 

 

CEB has brought home more than 2,000 Filipinos from the Middle East via special commercial flights since July 2021. CEB has also operated DFA-organized repatriation flights, flying home more than 1,700 Filipinos from Oman, Dubai, India, and Vietnam. 

 

CEB operates the widest domestic network in the Philippines covering 31 destinations, on top of its eight (8) international destinations. Its 74-strong fleet, one of the youngest in the world, includes two (2) dedicated ATR freighters and one (1) A330 freighter. 

 

Emirates to operate flight to Dubai to allow Filipino residents to return to the UAE

Emirates is set to operate its first passenger flight from Manila to Dubai on 30 May. The one-way flight will facilitate the return of OFW residents of the UAE. Additional flights may be added starting from 1 June, subject to approval by the Philippines authorities. 

Flight EK335 is scheduled to depart Manila at 23:55 and arrive in Dubai at 04:45 the following day. Those who wish to return to the UAE must meet entry requirements mandated by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship and obtain an entry permit online, prior to booking flights. Once applicants receive approval, flight tickets can be booked on emirates.com, by emailing Ekphil@emirates.com, or via travel agents. Only passengers holding a UAE residence permit in addition to an entry permit from the UAE authorities will be allowed to board.  

As stringent entry restrictions remain in place upon arrival in Dubai, passengers will be subject to a mandatory DHA test on arrival; a mandatory 14-day quarantine at the passengers’ own expense and a follow up test before release.

Similar to other flights that Emirates has operated thus far, for health and safety reasons, the airline will offer a modified inflight service that reduces contact, and the risk of infection. Magazines and print reading material will not be available. Meals on-board will be served in hygienic prepacked meal boxes, offering customers sandwiches, beverages, snacks, and desserts. A selection of hot snacks will also be served on long-haul flights. All Emirates aircraft go through enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes in Dubai, after each journey. Travelers can visit https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/help/essential-travel/#75478 for more information prior to booking and departure. 

Cabin baggage will not be accepted on these flights. Carry-on items allowed in the cabin will be limited to laptop, handbag, briefcase or baby items. All other items have to be checked in, and Emirates will add the cabin baggage allowance to customers’ check-in baggage allowance.

Passengers are also required to apply social distancing guidelines during their journey and wear their own masks when at the airport and on board the aircraft. Travellers should arrive at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport(Terminal 1) for check-in, four hours before departure. Emirates’ check-in counters will only process passengers holding confirmed bookings and entry permits to the UAE.

Overseas Filipino workers comprise a large part of the resident population of the UAE. With the resumption of flights to the UAE, Filipinos who were stranded in the Philippines after flights were suspended by the UAE authorities in March, will be able to return to their homes, families and livelihoods. Emirates recently resumed regular scheduled passenger flights between Dubai and nine destinations, including London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne.

Experience the best of Dubai’s shopping offerings with Cebu Pacific

 Dubai is the shopaholics paradise, you can find almost anything here from skincare to bags to chocolates to electronics, on sale, all year round. Think anything you want and voila! Dubai is the answer.

Beyond its impressive skyscrapers, a seven-star hotel, and romantic desert safari, there are countless reasons why Dubai has skyrocketed on top of every stylish traveler’s bucket list. The city has transformed shopping into an art with its highly anticipated annual shopping festival, glamorous malls, atmospheric souks, and the best of high-end brands and quirky finds that are available. Cebu Pacific, the country’s leading airline, offers every Juan the chance to explore the best that Asia’s emerging shopping juggernaut has to offer, as it flies direct from Manila to Dubai.

Scarves abound at Dubai souks in a variety of color and prints.

Dubai’s definitive shopping festivals.
 Held annually from January to February when the Dubai weather is at its coolest, the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is more than just a shopaholic’s paradise where tourists can score as much as 70-percent off on glam finds. Attracting more than 3 million people to Dubai every year, the DSF also features film festivals, fashion shows, and fantastic street performances. Those who want to plan their shopping strategies can find out more about this shopping festival on www.mydsf.ae.

From spices to stylish slippers, the souks in Dubai are a feast for the senses

Tourists who want to avoid the peak season and the throng of buyers during the Shopping Festival can visit its summer version, the Dubai Summer Surprises, which is held yearly from July to August. Offering citywide promos and sales, this more family-oriented shopping festival offers plenty of attractions for kids of all ages—from playgrounds and soft toy areas, to the latest video games and a 4D cinema. Another must-see stop for young adventurers is the Modhesh World's Summer Camp, a 37,000-square-meter indoor summer playground that is home to uniquely themed educational and entertainment zones. Plan an amazing Dubai summer experience by visiting www.summerisdubai.com.



The best of high-end shopping.
The Dubai Mall, the city’s biggest mall, is also the world’s most visited destination for three consecutive years. This 500,000 square-meter behemoth houses over 1,200 shops as well as the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo and the SEGA Republic theme park. The mall will continue to expand to accommodate the influx of visitors, adding new personalized and flagship stores of famous international fashion brands to its Fashion Avenue. Meanwhile, the Mall of the Emirates, recognized as the world’s first-ever shopping resort, houses over 500 international brands, from fashion and lifestyle to sports and electronics. Aside from designer and boutique brands such as the Harvey Nichols department store, the mall houses a traditional Arabian souk-themed section lined with 26 stores. For tourists looking for alternative yet equally stylish shopping spots beyond the bigger malls, the less frequented Wafi Mall and Mercato Mall are quieter but are as stunning with their Egyptian and European inspired architectures and wide selection of designer brands and interesting crafts shops.

Strolling around Dubai’s charming souks.
 While its massive malls may have earned Dubai its world-class reputation as a shopping destination, a visit to the city will not be complete without experiencing the lively and vibrant traditional souks that showcase local handicrafts, textiles, and spices. Immerse in the surplus of aromas, from frankincense to exotic herbs and spices, at the Deira Spice Souk. At the colorful Deira Gold Souq, there is all-day glitter with jewelry and gold on display in shop windows summoning the attention of those looking for bling. The city’s oldest market place is located in Sharjah, and the now air-conditioned alleyways of this covered market is filled with souks, bazaars, and shops that sell an abundance of finds from antique handicrafts, wooden Arabic wood pieces, handmade jewelries, and hand-woven garments, and novelties.

The cosmopolitan city of Dubai is also getting ready to make it even bigger in the international area, winning the right to host the World Expo 2020. The first Middle Eastern city to host the trade exhibition, Dubai is adopting the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” and is set to build a huge exhibition center, new hotels, entertainment venues, and improved public transportation, among other developments. For more information, visit www.dubaitourism.ae. Explore the best of Dubai shopping with Cebu Pacific Air with year-round fares starting for as low as P4,999. Plan ahead and get baggage allowance up to 40 kilos for your shopping finds too! Visit www.cebupacificair.com and book your flight now.