PAL Set on Increasing Flights for Domestic and International Destinations

Flag carrier Philippines Airlines (PAL) is banking on the “resurgence for Philippine tourism” as mobility restrictions and travel bans continue to ease. This has led the company to increase its number of flights by 52% adding more than 1,500 trips for this month, which will cover both domestic and international networks.

“We are seizing the opportunity to intensify our efforts to promote international tourist travel to the Philippines, as well as to respond to rising demand for flights to serve overseas Filipinos and a recovering economy,” explained PAL acting president and chief operating officer Stanley K. Ng. “We are reasonably optimistic that air travel will rebound in the months ahead.”

PAL’s domestic trips are expected to increase by 56% which will include 10 flights per day for Manila-Cebu, 6 flights per day for Manila-Davao, 3 flights per day for Manila-Bacolod, 3 flights per day for Manila-Legazpi, 3 flights per day for Manila-Iloilo, 4 flights per day for Manila-Cagayan De Oro, 6 flights per day for Manila-Boracay, and 3 flights per day for Manila-Tacloban.

Meanwhile, the flag carrier is also looking to deploy more flights to North America, Middle Asia, and Asia. A 24% increase is expected for flights to the US and Canada, with 11 weekly flights to Los Angeles and daily trips to San Francisco. By April, additional weekly flights will also be seen for trips to New York, Vancouver, Honolulu, Toronto, and Guam.

In Southeast Asia, PAL trips will ramp up by 98% as flights to Singapore will go up to 14 weekly flights in March and 28 weekly flights “in succeeding months.” Flights to Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Phnom Penh, as well as Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hanoi in Vietnam will likewise be added.

Destinations in Japan covering Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Tokyo are set to increase by 11% while Riyadh and Dammam flights in Saudi Arabia will rise by 16%. Additionally, nonstop services to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane will most likely be doubled “to serve pent-up demand now that Australia has reopened its borders to international travel.” Flights to Hong Kong and Taiwan will also be increased by 60%, but trips to Macau are still set to be resumed in April. Finally, flights to Mainland China are still suspended as the flag carrier waits for a relaxation of current travel restrictions.

Source: Inquirer