Philippine Airlines said it expects to increase its market share in Thailand by 5 percent this year on increased travel between Manila and Bangkok.
“We have 40 percent of the market in Thailand and we will increase our market share by 5 percent this year,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said.
Bautista said the Tourism Authority of Thailand was expecting 30 million visitors this year.
PAL flies between Manila and Bangkok 25 times a week.
PAL signed a codeshare agreement with Bangkok Airways in October 2018 to expand convenient connections for passengers traveling between Manila and Thailand.
The agreement will enable PAL passengers flying to Bangkok from Manila to connect seamlessly on Bangkok Airways’ flights to Chiang Mai via Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Bangkok Airways’ passengers will also be able to travel on Philippine Airlines’ flights between Bangkok and Manila.
Bangkok Airways is PAL’s 15th codeshare partner and its fifth in Southeast Asia.
The entry of PAL brings the list of Bangkok Airways’ codeshare partners to 27 in total.
PAL Holdings Inc., PAL’s parent firm, earlier reported a net loss of P3.29 billion in January to September last year, compared to a loss of P2.31 billion in the same period in 2017.
Total revenues in January to September 2018 reached P112.07 billion, up 16 percent from P96.58 billion in the same period in 2017.