DUBAI: Qatar Airways announced that it is to cancel its route to Cebu in the Philippines beginning next month, the airlines said on Sunday. The Manila Bulletin also reported that the route is to be cancelled completely beginning March 26, citing a memo sent to Qatar Airways' clients and partners. The airlines said that those passengers who already had booked tickets will be given alternative flights to the country, including the Manila-Doha route, a twice weekly flight, which will not be cancelled. The newspaper added that local tourism operators had hoped the airline would still reconsider the decision. Rowena Montecillo, director for Central Visayas at the Department of Tourism, was quoted as saying: “We acknowledge that this is a business decision but I personally would want to know the problems of the airlines, so we'll know how government and the private sector can help.” She added that she has scheduled a meeting with Qatar Airways management in the next week to discuss the issue. She said the Cebu-Doha route played a significant role in the growth of arrivals by European visitors coming to Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas. The Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) is also appealing for Qatar Airways to not suspend its Cebu-Doha flights, the paper said. It quoted president Hans Hauri as saying: “The HRRAC is making an appeal to Qatar Airways Management for a reconsideration as we need their service for our connection to and from Europe.” BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/JLJJU Tags: Cebu, Flights, Philippines, Qatar Airways Section: East Asia, Qatar, Travel
