PAL expands Cebu hub with new routes, pioneer services

AS the world is slowly recovering from the onslaught of the global pandemic, Philippine Airlines (PAL) resumes in embarking on significant expansion with brand new routes that cater to direct regional and domestic flights to Baguio, Borongan, Bangkok, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for the holiday season.

On Nov. 23, Philippine Airlines hosted a press conference in Radisson Blu Cebu detailing the promos the renowned airline will offer next month.

The new campaign, “Larga Ta, Cebu!” introduces brand new regional and domestic routes of Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

For the month of December, the Philippine flag carrier is pioneering services to directly link flights from Cebu to Baguio in northern Luzon and Borongan in Eastern Samar. PAL will also connect the Queen City of the South to Cotabato City and Tawi-Tawi, the key commercial and tourist gateways for BARMM.

On an international scale, PAL is resuming direct flights between Cebu and Bangkok on Dec. 9, adding a new regional connection to PAL’s existing flights between Cebu and Tokyo’s Narita Airport.

The president and chief operating officer of Philippine Airlines, Capt. Stanley K. Ng, shared in the press conference that one of the airline’s primary goals is to build up Cebu province as the Queen of Gateways, strategically positioned as the ideal gateway to the tourist islands and provincial economic centers of the Visayas and Mindanao, and beyond to Northern Luzon and Palawan.

“We aim to fly in visitors from overseas and give them easy access to holiday resorts, business hubs and emerging economic centers throughout the Philippines via Cebu,” said Ng.

In its goal to revitalize domestic and international travel and economic development, PAL is able to bolster the strength of Cebu as a tropical destination in the country while also enhancing its connectivity to all corners of the nation.

“This is a vital step in support of the government’s thrust to revitalize Philippine tourism and the national economy,” said Rabbi Ang, the officer-in-charge and president of PAL Express.

Additionally, PAL is likewise ramping up flights on other domestic routes to and from Mactan-Cebu airport, Bacolod and Caticlan (Boracay) seeing additional frequencies in time for the bustle of the holiday season.

PAL is also considering resuming direct flights between Cebu and other cities in Japan.

From Mactan-Cebu, Philippine Airlines will offer more than 200 weekly flights to 19 destinations, comprising 17 cities in the Philippines as well as Bangkok and Tokyo.

In launching “Larga Ta, Cebu,” PAL is able to aid in the proliferation of not just international travels but more so regionally, in abetting with the recovering tourism industry of Cebu province.