AirSwift is optimistic that its newly established Panglao, Bohol – El Nido, Palawan route will eventually gain market patronage, prompting the need for daily flights between the two popular tourist destinations.

The airline offers four two-way flights between Panglao and El Nido in a week but the number of flights could gradually increase, said AirSwift CEO Alfonso Javier Reyes during the route’s launch at the Bohol Panglao International Airport (BPIA) on Monday.

“This is really special because we have done quite a few of these launches and by far this is the most number of passengers that we have had on a launch,” Javier said. “It says we fly only four times a week but we have an expectation that this would grow and hopefully very soon we will be doing this on a daily basis.”

AirSwift’s Cebu-Iloilo connection which is now one of the airline’s most successful routes started slow but eventually gained market patronage, said Javier as he expressed hope that the new Panglao-El Nido route will likewise experience growth.

From just four at the start, the number of Cebu-Iloilo flights eventually grew to twice a day.

“Same thing with Cebu, our very first non-Manila connection. We started three or four times a week then gradually it became daily, then it became 11 times a week, then twice a day. So we are very hopeful that a similar future will unfold for the lovely area of Bohol,” he added.

Javier noted that the launching flight of the Cebu-Iloilo route only had two passengers while the maiden Panglao – El Nido flight had 36 passengers.

The inaugural Panglao – El Nido flight was held on Monday morning at the BPIA with Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II, Tagbilaran City Tourism Officer Shobel Ligalig, Provincial Tourism Council president Lucas Nunag and Bohol Tourism Officer Josephine Cabarrus in attendance. (RT)