Budget airline Cebu Pacific is commencing a Manila-Osaka direct flight by November 20, 2008 with an introductory one-way fare sale of P1,999.

The introductory rate, which does not include taxes, insurance, and other fees, is about 70 percent less than those offered by other airlines plying the same route, the company said in a statement. Tickets for the seat sale are available between September 16 and 20, 2008. Thereafter, one-way "fare only" will be about P3,999.

Philippine's second biggest airline will fly to its first destination in Japan three times a week--Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday--leaving NAIA 3 terminal at 1:40pm and arriving in Osaka at 6:35pm.

The return trip takes off at 7:20pm and arrives in Manila at 10:15pm.

The Osaka-bound flights will be on Airbus 320 aircraft, which has a capacity of about 179 passengers. Cebu Pacific has the youngest fleet in the Philippines.

Japan is a major trade partner of the country, destination of overseas Filipino workers. Japanese tourists are the Philippines' third top source of tourists, next to South Koreans and Americans.

"The Manila-Osaka service will be strategically important to the Philippines' tourism agenda. It will help generate interest on our country's medical and wellness tourism among the Japanese," added Lance Y. Gokongwei, CEB president and CEO.

Cebu Pacific, which has just recently consolidated its domestic and international flights in newly opened NAIA 3 terminal, is one of the most aggressive airlines in the region, constantly expanding its coverage. Currently, it flies to 15 short-haul international routes, including Bangkok, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kaohsiung, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Pusan, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei.

The airline carried 5.5 million passengers in 2007 and aims to increase that to 7 million passengers this year.

In an online poll, independent online travel magazine Smart Travel Asia named the Philippine budget carrier as the fifth top budget airline in Asia, beating Australian airline Virgin Blue and four others.