SkyJet Airlines

SkyJet Airlines, formally Magnum Air (SkyJet), Inc., is a Philippine regional airline headquartered in Manila. The carrier began as an air-charter business and later developed into a scheduled domestic airline serving destinations that were not consistently connected to Manila by larger Philippine carriers. Its public positioning has emphasized direct access, tourism-oriented routes, and a boutique or low-cost regional flying experience rather than a broad national trunk network. Dentist Dr. Joel Mendoza established the company in September 2005. In its early years, SkyJet used British Aerospace 146 aircraft for charter operations, including group tourist travel to Batanes in the northern Philippines. The company received a temporary air operator's certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines in August 2012 and began scheduled commercial operations on 14 December 2012. Its first commercial route connected Manila with Basco Airport in Batanes, a destination whose geography and limited airport infrastructure made direct air access commercially distinctive. The airline expanded cautiously across leisure markets. It added regular service to Busuanga, the gateway to Coron, in February 2013, and later introduced a Manila–Caticlan service for Boracay in April 2014 after abandoning a planned route to Virac in Catanduanes. SkyJet subsequently announced or operated services involving Siargao, Camiguin, and San Vicente in Palawan. These routes reflected a strategy centered on Philippine tourism islands and emerging destinations rather than high-frequency service between the country's largest business centers. Corporate control changed in 2013, when investors led by entrepreneur Dino Reyes Chua took over management. Chua became president and chief executive officer, while Mendoza remained board chair. In March 2015, Thunder Air Aviation Inc., the aviation arm of the Solar Group, acquired a reported 50 percent controlling interest. Solar Group founder Wilson Tieng became chairman, while Chua retained the president and chief executive role. The ownership transition was followed by a legal dispute in which Mendoza alleged that he had been defrauded of shares; the allegations were reported as a syndicated estafa case and do not by themselves establish liability. SkyJet's development was also marked by regulatory and operational setbacks. In 2015, the Philippine aviation regulator suspended its air operator's certificate over safety shortcomings identified under Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations. After initially challenging the suspension in court, the airline voluntarily grounded its fleet to facilitate reassessment and resumed operations after the suspension was lifted. A separate customs dispute led to the forfeiture of one BAE 146-100 aircraft in 2018 over alleged unpaid import duties and taxes. The airline later leased an ATR 72-500 from Elix Aviation Capital in 2020 as part of fleet replacement and expansion plans. Several runway-overrun incidents affected SkyJet aircraft between 2013 and 2018, although the reported incidents did not result in passenger or crew fatalities. The airline also suspended and later planned to resume Siargao service after a 2018 runway overrun, while the COVID-19 pandemic forced another suspension of scheduled operations in 2020. In April 2021, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines authorized SkyJet to transport COVID-19 vaccines within the country. Publicly available reference material confirms the carrier's historical route development and regulatory events, but does not establish its current operating status, complete current fleet, ownership structure, or present route network.

SkyJet Airlines was established in September 2005 by Filipino dentist Dr. Joel Mendoza under the corporate name Magnum Air (SkyJet), Inc. It initially operated as an air-charter company rather than as a conventional scheduled airline. Its early business focused on group tourism flights using British Aerospace 146 aircraft, particularly trips to Batanes in the northern Philippines. This initial emphasis shaped SkyJet's later identity as a carrier linking Manila with smaller and tourism-dependent destinations. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines granted SkyJet a temporary air operator's certificate on 3 August 2012, allowing it to operate scheduled domestic and international routes. The company began commercial operations on 14 December 2012 with a Manila–Basco flight. In February 2013 it added regular Manila–Busuanga service, giving tourists direct access to Coron in Palawan. In December of that year, a group of investors led by entrepreneur and Cavite provincial board member Dino Reyes Chua took over corporate management. Chua became president and chief executive officer, while Mendoza continued as chairman of the board. Under the new management, SkyJet changed its planned network. It dropped a proposed Virac route and began regular Manila–Caticlan flights in April 2014, serving the Boracay market. That year, the carrier attempted to enter international charter flying through a proposed Kalibo–Taipei service. The inaugural flight was aborted after the pilot detected aircraft abnormalities. The incident stranded about 200 Taiwanese tourists in Boracay according to the cited account, and SkyJet subsequently abandoned the planned route. In March 2015, Thunder Air Aviation Inc., the aviation arm of the Solar Group, acquired a reported 50 percent controlling stake in SkyJet. Solar Group founder Wilson Tieng became chairman, while Chua retained his executive role. The ownership transition later became the subject of a corporate dispute. In December 2016, Mendoza filed a syndicated estafa complaint against Tieng, Chua, and other SkyJet officials, alleging that they had conspired to deprive him of shares. The cited material reports the filing but does not establish the outcome or legal merits of the allegations. SkyJet also encountered regulatory difficulties. On 18 May 2015, the CAAP suspended its air operator's certificate because of safety shortcomings under Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations. The shortcomings had been noted during an inspection by a European Union assessment team. SkyJet challenged the suspension and sought damages, but later withdrew its case and volunteered to ground its fleet so the regulator could conduct a further assessment. CAAP lifted the suspension on 7 June 2015 after the airline complied with the stated safety requirements. Operational incidents continued to affect the airline's expansion. In October 2013, a chartered aircraft overshot the runway at Balesin and was written off, although no injuries were reported. In February 2018, a SkyJet aircraft carrying 73 passengers and four crew members overran the runway at Sayak Airport on Siargao; all occupants evacuated safely. In June of the same year, a Manila–Coron flight overshot the runway at Francisco B. Reyes Airport, with all 80 passengers and six crew members reported unharmed. In July 2018, the Bureau of Customs ordered the forfeiture of a BAE 146-100 after a dispute over approximately PHP 90 million in duties and taxes reportedly owed since importation. SkyJet later received a leased ATR 72-500 from Elix Aviation Capital in February 2020 as a replacement and as part of expansion plans. The airline launched or inaugurated services to Camiguin and San Vicente in 2019. It announced a Siargao resumption for March 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic and Enhanced Community Quarantine led to another suspension. In April 2021, CAAP authorized SkyJet to transport COVID-19 vaccines around the Philippines. Available reference material does not reliably confirm the airline's current ownership, management, operating status, route network, or fleet beyond the historical events described above.

• 2021

  Authorized for vaccine transport

  [1]SkyJet Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  CAAP authorized SkyJet to transport COVID-19 vaccines within the Philippines.

• 2019

  Camiguin and San Vicente services added

  [1]SkyJet Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  SkyJet expanded its tourism-oriented domestic network with service to Camiguin and San Vicente.

• 2018

  BAE 146 aircraft forfeited

  [1]SkyJet Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The Bureau of Customs ordered forfeiture of one aircraft in a dispute over duties and taxes.

• 2015

  Solar Group takes reported controlling stake

  [1]SkyJet Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Thunder Air Aviation acquired a reported 50 percent controlling interest, with Wilson Tieng becoming chairman.

• 2015

  Air operator's certificate suspended and restored

  [1]SkyJet Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  CAAP suspended the certificate over safety shortcomings; SkyJet grounded its fleet for reassessment and resumed service after compliance.

• 2013

  Busuanga service launched

  [1]SkyJet Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Regular flights to Busuanga began, serving the Coron tourism market.

• 2012

  Scheduled commercial operations begin

  [1]SkyJet Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  After receiving a temporary air operator's certificate, SkyJet operated its first scheduled commercial flight from Manila to Basco on 14 December.

• 2005

  SkyJet founded as an air-charter company

  [1]SkyJet Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Dr. Joel Mendoza established the company in September to provide charter flights, including group tourist travel to Batanes.

A Philippine boutique and low-cost regional airline providing direct connections between Manila and underserved island and tourism destinations.

• Air transportation · 2012

  Scheduled domestic passenger flights

  SkyJet's core offering was scheduled domestic air travel from Manila to smaller Philippine airports and tourism destinations. The network emphasized direct service to locations such as Basco, Busuanga, Caticlan, Camiguin, San Vicente, and Siargao rather than a large intercity network. Route availability changed over time and is not confirmed for the present.

• Charter aviation · 2005

  Air-charter services

  Before scheduled operations, SkyJet provided charter flights for organized tourist groups. Early charter activity used British Aerospace 146 aircraft and included travel to Batanes. The carrier also operated a charter flight for Alphaland tourists traveling to Balesin in 2013.

• Air cargo and logistics · 2021

  Special-purpose domestic transport

  In 2021, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines authorized SkyJet to transport COVID-19 vaccines across the country. The available material does not establish whether this became a continuing commercial cargo product.

• 2018

  Aircraft forfeiture in customs dispute

  The Bureau of Customs ordered forfeiture of a BAE 146-100 over reported unpaid import duties and taxes. The cited account states the amount at PHP 90 million but does not provide a later legal resolution.

  Source

• 2016

  Syndicated estafa complaint over ownership shares

  Former chairman Joel Mendoza filed a syndicated estafa case against Wilson Tieng, Dino Reyes Chua, and other officials, alleging a conspiracy to defraud him of shares. The cited material does not provide a final disposition.

  Source

• 2015

  Air operator's certificate suspension

  CAAP suspended SkyJet's operating certificate over safety shortcomings identified under Philippine aviation regulations. The airline initially challenged the action, then voluntarily grounded its fleet for reassessment; the certificate was restored after reported compliance.

  Source

Read more

• 2020

  Suspension of planned Siargao resumptionStrategy

  Background

  SkyJet had announced a 29 March return to Siargao after a previous runway incident and service suspension.

  Action taken

  The airline suspended the planned resumption during the Philippines' Enhanced Community Quarantine and extended the suspension through 31 August.

  Aftermath

  The available reference does not confirm the exact date on which Siargao service or the broader network resumed.

  Source

• 2018

  Fleet replacement after aircraft forfeitureOther

  Background

  The Bureau of Customs ordered forfeiture of a BAE 146-100 in a dispute concerning import duties and taxes.

  Action taken

  SkyJet subsequently arranged a lease for an ATR 72-500 from Elix Aviation Capital.

  Aftermath

  The replacement was described as supporting fleet renewal and expansion plans.

  Source

• 2015

  Voluntary fleet grounding during safety reassessmentStrategy

  Background

  CAAP had suspended SkyJet's air operator's certificate over safety shortcomings.

  Action taken

  SkyJet withdrew its court action against CAAP and volunteered to ground its entire fleet so the regulator could conduct a further assessment.

  Aftermath

  CAAP lifted the suspension on 7 June 2015 after the airline was reported to have complied with safety requirements.

  Source

1. 1SkyJet Airlinesen.wikipedia.org