Philippine Airlines said Tuesday it added more international and domestic flights in anticipation of a surge in travel demand.
The airline unit of tycoon Lucio Tan said it is now operating an average of 120 domestic and international flights a day.
“Pre-pandemic, we were averaging 300 flight legs a day. Today, we are operating 40 percent of our pre-pandemic flight legs. A long way to go, but we will get there in due time,” said PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna.
The company said the expansion of its flight route network depended on the improving health situation and easing travel restrictions.
“As we anticipate a surge in travel demand with the gradually improving health situation in the country, we continue to build up our flight route network and work closely with government to further ease travel restrictions without sacrificing passenger safety,” PAL said.
PAL said it resumed regular weekly flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York (JFK), Honolulu, Guam, Toronto, Vancouver, London (Heathrow), Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta and Pnom Penh which are open for leisure travel, subject to specific travel requirements.
PAL also has flights to Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Seoul (Incheon), Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya, Hong Kong, Taipei, Dubai, Dammam, Riyadh and Doha.
The flag carrier said that for domestic operations, it has regular flights from Manila to Laoag, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa, Busuanga (Coron)-Manila, Bacolod, Cebu, Catarman, Calbayog, Dumaguete, Antique (San Jose), Iloilo, Kalibo, Caticlan (Boracay), Roxas, Tacloban, Tagbilaran (Panglao), Butuan, Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, Davao, General Santos, Siargao, Ozamiz, Pagadian and Zamboanga
It said that from Cebu, it flies to Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caticlan (Boracay), Clark, Davao, Siargao, Tacloban-Cebu and Zamboanga. From Zamboanga, there are flights to Tawi-Tawi.
PAL said among the LGUs accepting vaccination cards are Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro,Catarman ,Cebu City,Lapu Lapu City,Cebu Province, Clark,Iloilo,Negros Occidental. Pagadian, Roxas, Tacloban and Tagbilaran.
PAL Holdings Inc., the operator of PAL, said net loss slightly declined in the first nine months because of lower operating expenses. Total comprehensive loss amounted to P27.19 billion from January to September, down 6.3 percent from P29.03-billion loss it incurred in the same period last year.
Consolidated revenues fell 29 percent to P32.16 billion from P45.29 billion last year on the impact of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic that started in mid-March of 2020.
Passenger revenue amounted to P21.76 billion this year, lower from last year’s P35.55 billion while cargo revenue climbed 47 percent to P8.9 billion from P6.05 billion.
PAL, which filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy before the US Court, expects to exit from the proceeding by the end of the year.
The company said it was expecting to meet all financial obligations throughout the Chapter 11 process to employees, customers, the government, lessors, lenders, suppliers and other creditors.
