Philippine Airlines will further boost its operations at its hubs in Davao, Cebu and Clark with the scheduled arrival of 15 new aircraft this year and another six in 2019.
PAL, which has recently achieved the status of an internationally-certified 4-Star airline, said the multi-hub expansion strategy aims to improve domestic and international connections while spreading the benefits of tourism and commercial activity across the country.
New routes and hikes in flight frequencies are being introduced as the flag carrier accepts delivery of five additional Next-Generation Bombardier Q400s and six new Airbus A321neos starting next month, along with four Airbus A350-900 trans-oceanic aircraft in June.
“We are no longer just a Manila-centric airline,” said PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista.
“Our new aircraft and our new hubs are a winning combination that will help expand our market reach both domestically and worldwide. This is imperative for a global airline, and we must sustain and build on our hard-won 4-Star rating,” he added.
PAL’s xpansion this year includes the following new routes: Davao-Siargao, Manila non-stop to New York (John F. Kennedy Airport), Manila non-stop to New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay) in India, and Manila to Sapporo (Chitose) in Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido.
PAL is also assessing the request of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo to launch international routes directly from Davao International Airport, possibly to Bangkok or a point in Japan.
“Our current fleet of 85 aircraft is already the largest in the Philippines,” Bautista said.
“We are aiming for 100 aircraft by 2020, which places us in the category of a major carrier. But we are not merely adding more planes, we are constantly upgrading the cabins, seats, amenities, inflight entertainment and technology. We aspire to ultimately become a 5-Star Global Airline, to be a source of pride for all Filipinos,” he added.