Sunlight Air

Sunlight Air
IATA ICAO Call sign
2R RLB SUNLIGHT
FoundedJuly 22, 2019; 5 years ago (2019-07-22)
Commenced operationsDecember 17, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-12-17)
Operating bases
Fleet size3[1]
Destinations9
Parent companySunlight Express Airways Corp.
Headquarters10F Ri-Rance Corporate Center 1, Blk 2 Lot 16, Aseana City, Parañaque, Philippines[2]
Key peopleRyna Brito-Garcia (CEO)[3]
Websitewww.sunlightair.ph

Sunlight Express Airways, operating as Sunlight Air, is a boutique airline in the Philippines based in Clark, Pampanga. It operates flights from its operating base in Clark International Airport to Busuanga, Puerto Princesa, Caticlan, Panglao, Siargao, and Cebu using its fleet of three ATR 72-500s.

History

Sunlight Air was established on July 22, 2019, as a chartered airline. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it began operations on December 17, 2020, with an inaugural flight from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila to Busuanga in Palawan. The airline promotes itself using the tagline, "Bringing Warmth to the Skies!".[4][5][6]

Sunlight Air's ATR 72-500 in current livery.
Sunlight Air's ATR 72-500 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The airline currently operates a fleet of three ATR 72-500s and provides domestic non-scheduled airline services from its hub in Clark, Pampanga to Busuanga and Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Boracay in Caticlan, Siargao in Surigao del Norte, Panglao in Bohol, and Cebu City.[4][5][6] The airline is linked to Sunlight Hotels and Resorts group, which owns upper and mid-range hotels on Palawan and Busuanga Island in the western Philippines and offers travel packages inclusive of flights and accommodations to and from Sunlight Ecotourism Island Resort in Culion, Palawan.[3]

Destinations

As of July 2024, Sunlight Air flies (or has flown) to the following domestic destinations in the Philippines:

City Airport Notes Reference
Bacolod Bacolod–Silay Airport Cargo
Busuanga Francisco B. Reyes Airport
Camiguin Camiguin Airport Terminated [7]
Cagayan de Oro Laguindingan Airport [8]
Caticlan Godofredo P. Ramos Airport
Cebu Mactan–Cebu International Airport Base [8]
Clark Clark International Airport Base [7]
Iloilo Iloilo International Airport [8]
Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport Base
Naga Naga Airport Terminated [9]
Puerto Princesa Puerto Princesa International Airport
San Vincente San Vicente Airport
Siargao Sayak Airport [10]

Fleet

As of July 2024, Sunlight Air operates the following aircraft:[1]

Sunlight Air fleet
Aircraft Total Orders Notes
ATR 72-500 3 — Former Bangkok Airways fleet.[3]
Total 3 —

References

  1. ^ a b "Sunlight Express Airways Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  2. ^ "Contact Us". sunlightair.ph. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Eng, Edward (December 11, 2020). "Philippines' Sunlight Express Poised To Launch Operations With ATR 72-500s". smartaviation-apac.com. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Sunlight Air is newest choice for domestic air travel in PHL". businessmirror.com.ph. December 21, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Sunlight Air takes to the skies as the newest choice for domestic travel in the Philippines". philstar.com. December 23, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Sunlight Air, the newest choice for domestic air travel". tribune.net.ph. December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Vibal, Leana (February 15, 2024). "Sunlight Air Is Moving All Its Flights to Clark". spot.ph. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "Sunlight Air launches Cebu hub, opens six new routes". Aviation Updates PH. February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  9. ^ "New Route Alert: Fly Straight to Naga for Less Than P1,000". Spot.ph. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  10. ^ Rodriguez, Mia (November 15, 2022). "Fly Straight to Siargao With This Airline's New Direct Route". spot.ph. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
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