Flag carrier Philippine Airlines has announced that it would come up with new routes, expand its fleet and innovate its products and services in its bid to become a certified four-star airline next year.
The destinations—Bacolod, Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro and Virac—have been added to PAL route network this mid-December out of the airline’s hub at Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
The airline said the inauguration of these new routes marked a significant investment by the flag carrier in the development of Clark as a major airline gateway.
PAL’s Clark hub now provides passengers from central and northern Luzon direct access to a total of 13 domestic points as well as to Seoul, South Korea.
Build-up of operations at Clark, as well as in Cebu, Davao, and recently Tagbilaran aimed to significantly enhance travel convenience and connectivity for Philippine domestic travelers, while also serving to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.
The PAL flights are also expected to boost tourism and make it more attractive for foreign tourists to visit multiple destinations throughout the country.
On Friday, PAL opened a four-times weekly service to Bacolod and daily flights to Tagbilaran in Bohol.
PR859 (Clark-Bacolod) leaves Clark International Airport at 7 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. PR860 (Bacolod-Clark) departs Bacolod at 8:45 a.m.
PR2871 (Clark-Tagbilaran) leaves Clark at 3:00 PM every day. The Tagbilaran-Clark is operated in the morning, departing Bohol 6:40 a.m., landing at Clark 8:00 AM.
On Saturday, a three times weekly service to Cagayan de Oro (PR833) begins, leaving Clark every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6 a.m. The return flight (PR834) departs 8:20 a.m. from Laguindingan International Airport serving Cagayan de Oro.
PAL is using the 199-seater Airbus A321 on the flights to Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro, and the 156-seater A320 to Tagbilaran.
On Dec. 18, PAL will mount three times weekly flights to Virac, capital of the island province of Catanduanes, leaving Clark Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6 a.m.
The Bombardier Q400 will be used on the Clark-Virac-Clark route.
On top of the four new routes, PAL flies to nine domestic destinations out of Clark: Basco, Busuanga, Calbayog, Catarman, Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, Masbate and Puerto Princesa.
Early next year, Naga will be added to the list. The airline is evaluating the possibility of operating more new routes from Clark in due course.