MANILA, Philippines – Lucio Tan-led Philippine Airlines (PAL) will increase its flights to Australia amid a surge in demand.
Beginning June 1 this year, the flag carrier will have Manila-Melbourne flights 5 times a week, from the current thrice weekly service.
In a statement on Wednesday, March 7, PAL said PR207 would leave Manila every Wednesday and Friday at 4:45 pm and arrive in Melbourne at 3 am local time the following day.
PR208 will leave Melbourne every Thursday and Saturday at 5:40 am local time and touch down in Manila at 10:55 am on the same day.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, PR209 will leave Manila at 9:10 pm and land in Melbourne at 8:30 am local time the following day.
On Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, PR210 will leave Melbourne at 10:15 am local time and reach Manila at 3:30 pm on the same day.
PAL said it will use its reconfigured Airbus A330s with lie-flat business class seats as well as new premium economy and new economy seats.
"Passenger loads between Melbourne and Manila have been consistently in the high 80s, while Sydney-Manila has been in the high 80s to 90s since we utilized the A330 tri-class for the equally popular route," said PAL vice president for sales Ryan Uy in a statement.
The flag carrier also said it will shift to a thrice weekly nonstop service between Manila and Brisbane starting March 28 using its Airbus A340s. The route previously included a stopover in Darwin which the airline said it would "suspend indefinitely due to low demand."
PR221 will operate every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, departing Manila at 11:30 pm and arriving in Brisbane at 9:20 am local time the following day.
PR222 will leave Brisbane every Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11 am local time and arrive in Manila at 5 pm on the same day.
PAL also noted that its Manila-Brisbane flights would shift to 4 times weekly once it receives its new Airbus A321neos later this year.
The flag carrier's ramping up of its Australian operations follows rival Cebu Pacific announcing a direct Manila-Melbourne flight set to begin in August this year. – Rappler.com