Sky Pasada Soon To Serve Bacolod-Boracay Route

Inset: A Sky Pasada LET410 Turbolet serving the company's missionary routes.

Last Saturday, February 18, 2012, I went to the website of Sky Pasada to check out their flight schedules to Baguio from Manila for I have plans to try it out this summer. Going to the flight search option of the website, I immediately noticed Bacólod (BCD) as one of the choices for destination. I was intrigued, since Sky Pasada does not have flights to Visayas as of the moment except Boracay, not even Mactan-Cebú International Airport. I immediately emailed their information service of Sky Pasada to inquire of a possibility to them for this one. I guessed for a Bacólod (BCD) to Caticlán (MPH) one because Negrénses have long wished for this route.

Inset: The Ruins at Talisay City, a component city of Metropolitan Bacólod Area.

A reply was sent only two days after last Monday since it was the first work day of the week from Mr. Richard Tanglao, Commercial Airline Manager of Sky Pasada. He confirmed that Sky Pasada would have serviced routes from Bacólod-Silay International Airport to Caticlan-Godofredo P. Ramos Airport. Asking further, he said that they would start the service on March 19, 2012, a Monday, for the onset of summer vacations. The flight frequency of the BCD – MPH route would be twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays and be utilizing the 19-seater LET410 Turbolet, like the ones they use to service their other routes in Northern Luzon and Palawan.

Inset: Boracay Island's white beach, considered as one of the world's best beaches.

The inaugural flight is set on March 16, 2012 at the Bacólod -Silay International Airport and will also offer connecting flight routes to Puerto Princesa International Airport and Taytay – Cezar Lim Rodriguez Airport, both in Palawan, for those who wants to island hop via air. The service will connect the white sand beaches of Cauayan, Sipalay City and Hinobaan to that of Boracay and El Nido, Palawan or the world famous Puerto Princesa Underground River. One way ticket prices for the route would be pegged at PhP2,800 which is relatively cheaper than other airlines servicing missionary or unconventional route to the undiscovered paradises.

Inset: The layout of the Sky Pasada website with their Flight Search and Booking System.

Tickets will initially be available for purchase online but ticketing office may soon be set up once the flight commence operations on March 2012. Tickets are also available in various travel agencies while those coming from Boracay may book for a flight at Dickson Travel and Tours, Caticlan Airport, Malay, Aklan. A post at the online watchdog group for Bacólod-Silay International Airport had positive feedbacks and even interest to book a flight for this route. As of press time, the first five flights of Sky Pasada for BCD -MPH are sold out since only few seats are available but this a good sign that increased frequency and new routes will open soon.