Thursday, May 08, 2008
Airline’s budget unit set to serve 22 more routes
PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) Express, the new, low-fares brand of Philippine Airlines, will serve 22 inter-island routes at the outset, including some provincial points currently without air service or underserved by other players, PAL president Jaime J. Bautista announced on Monday.
“With PAL Express, Philippine Airlines is reassuming its traditional mandate of providing quality, affordable air service to outlying communities. Such air link has historically acted as a spur for the development of these areas,” said Bautista.
“PAL Express also allows PAL to offer a low-fare yet high-value alternative in many trunkline and tourist routes, such as here in Caticlan,” he added during arrival ceremonies of the inaugural PAL Express flight from Manila.
Caticlan, gateway to the resort island of Boracay, is the first destination of PAL Express, which will operate 12 flights daily
from Manila starting today. Brand-new, 50-seater Bombardier Q300 turbo-propeller aircraft are deployed on the high-traffic route.
PAL Express will dramatically expand its network over the next two months, with service scheduled to be launched on 22 routes.
Thirteen of those new routes emanate from PAL Express main hub in Cebu, where operations start May 19 with services to five points—Caticlan, Bacolod, Tacloban, Butuan and General Santos.
On the same day, a daily flight between Manila and Busuanga in northern Palawan will also commence.
On May 26, three more services will operate out of Cebu: Davao, with thrice-daily flights; Iloilo, twice daily; and Puerto Princesa, a single flight every day.
On June 23, four new destinations will be served from Cebu: Dipolog, Ozamiz, Caga-yan de Oro and Zam-boanga. (PR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 8, 2008 issue)
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