Dabawenyos who wish to travel in and out of the country are reminded to purchase tickets directly from airline companies and their legitimate agents, an official said Tuesday.

In a statement, City Tourism Officer, Gene Rose Tecson also urged travelers to check the travel guidelines and restrictions issued on June 21 by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for their safety and to avoid being stranded while on transit elsewhere during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The DFA travel advisory enumerated travel bans and restrictions for Filipinos imposed by more than 160 countries in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa.

The department told travelers to check their official platforms from time to time since the travel bans and restrictions would be subject to change without prior and sufficient notice.

“Please refrain from getting tickets from unlicensed travel agents or ticketing offices. No one should be selling right now, except the airlines themselves,” Tecson said.

She said travelers should make the necessary coordination with the embassies or consulates of the country of destination before booking their ticket.

As of June, the Francisco Bangoy International Airport here caters to a limited number of domestic flights.

Meanwhile, Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said in a radio interview on Monday that three airline companies – Cebu Pacific, Cathay Pacific, and Silk Air – have canceled their international flights here until the end of July.

“I don’t know why they have canceled their flights,” she said, adding that she has requested more flights for the Manila-Davao-Manila route as it is highly in demand.

“Our confirmed cases are somewhat manageable, so I ask them to add more flights for us,” Duterte said. (PNA)