THE Philippines Airlines has announced that it is set to open new domestic and international routes this month and January next year to further ease problem on air traffic congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
PAL external communications chief and spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna said last Friday that the county’s flag carrier inaugurated new routes out of Cebu to further enhance the Visayan hub’s connectivity with Northern Mindanao and the Bicol Region.
She said the new routes—Cebu–Siargao, Cebu–Camiguin, Cebu–Ozamiz and Cebu–Legaspi, utilize PAL’s Bombardier Q400 Next Generation turboprops.
“These are on top of the existing routes from the Queen City of the South namely Cebu Bacolod, Cebu–Busuanga, Cebu–Butuan, Cebu–Cagayan, Cebu–Caticlan, Cebu–Davao, Cebu–General Santos, Cebu– Iloilo, Cebu–Kalibo, Cebu–Puerto Princesa, Cebu–Siargao, Cebu–Tacloban, Cebu–Tagbilaran,” Villaluna said.
Villaluna said flights from Clark to Masbate Calbayog and Catarman were also launched on Dec. 1. She added that PAL’s 86-seater dual class Bombardier Q400s will serve the new domestic connections from the Pampanga.
On Dec. 15, PAL will open more new routes: Clark–Bacolod and Clark–Tagbilaran.
“Clark–Cagayan de Oro and Clark–Virac flights are scheduled to be opened on December 16 and 10, respectively. On Jan. 15, 2018, the airline will open Clark–Naga and Clark–Legaspi flights,” added Villaluna.
She also said the new domestic connections, which will help relieve air traffic congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, will enable air travelers from the country’s regions to reach Central Luzon without having to touch down in NAIA and travel by land from Manila.
The nine new routes are in addition to the present routes from Clark, Pampanga, namely: Clark – Busuanga, Clark–Caticlan, Clark–Cebu, Clark–Davao and Clark–Puerto Princesa.
Villaluna said on Saturday (Dec. 2), PAL also launched the thrice weekly Cebu-Bangkok service “amidst public demand for direct non-stop flights from Asian destinations to Central Visayas.”
Flight PR578 departs Mactan, Cebu at 9:25 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and arrives in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at 12:10 a.m. local time. Flight PR579 leaves Bangkok at 1:30 a.m. local time every Wednesday/Friday/Sunday and touches down at 6:15 a.m.
Travelers from Thailand will now gain a convenient direct link to ‘The Queen City of the South’ and can connect to any of the following domestic destinations PAL flies to from Cebu.
From Cebu, visitors may also take PAL flights to Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Seoul (Incheon), Singapore, Chengdu and Beijing (Peking).
Last Friday, PAL linked the ‘Queen City of the South’ to more points in Mindanao – Siargao, Camiguin and Ozamiz. The new flights are part of the ongoing expansion of PAL Cebu, considered the flag carrier’s primary hub outside Manila.
“PAL’s array of full-service offerings such as free baggage allowance, free snacks and beverage for domestic travels, free hot meals and drinks for international travels, free movies, TV shows, music and comfortable seats ensure a convenient and relaxing flight experience matched with the airline’s trademark heartfelt service,” said PAL president Jaime Bautista.