PHILIPPINE low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) will commence from March 23 onwards thrice-weekly Manila-Xiamen-Manila services, the carrier’s 18^th international destination.

CEB will deploy an Airbus A319 aircraft on the route, offering 150 seats in an all-economy configuration.

The airline, which flies thrice-weekly to Beijing and Guangzhou, and daily to Shanghai, had earlier announced plans to boost its Manila-Beijing-Manila services to four-weekly starting January 7.

“CEB looks forward to expanding its network in China, especially with Xiamen and Fujian province being the well-known hometown of about 85 per cent of Filipino-Chinese in the Philippines,” said CEB vice president for marketing & distribution, Candice Iyog.

“We flew 30 per cent more passengers to mainland China in the third quarter of 2011, compared to the same period the year before. CEB will continue to grow its China market with its trademark low fares and destination offerings,” Iyog added.