After increasing capacity on US routes to more than 1 million available seats in 2019, Philippine Airlines is further expanding its presence in the market with the launch of two new non-stop services.
This week: Virgin Atlantic’s first flights to Brazil; El Al Israel Airlines to add two new European routes; and Delta Air Lines opens reservation for its planned Seoul Incheon – Manila route.
Philippine Airlines is introducing new routes and hikes in flight frequencies ahead of taking delivery of the first of 21 new aircraft scheduled to arrive by the end of 2019.
The Asian carrier is to cut more than 100 seats from eight of its A330-300s. Although a less dense configuration will result in capacity reductions on certain routes, it will vastly improve the passenger experience and customer satisfaction on board the airline’s flights and notably will enable Philippine Airlines to offer a premium product once again across all medium- and long-haul routes.
The Japanese airport, in operation since 1994, is in the midst of an exciting growth period. Last year, Kansai International Airport handled 23,214,756 passengers, a 20 percent increase. International passengers were up by 24 percent.
The new year-round service will operate three times a week using Boeing 767-300 equipment with a flight time of around 10 and a half hours in each direction, subject to government and regulatory approvals. Flights are due to commence from December 2016 and full schedules will be confirmed when reservations are opened around mid-year.
Senior representatives from Guam’s Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport and Guam Visitors Bureau joined forces with Cebu Pacific Air to celebrate the low-cost carrier’s new link between Manila and the US island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific during Routes Asia. The new route, Cebu Pacific’s first to the United States, will commence on March 15, 2016 and will be flown four times weekly using an Airbus A320.
The new airport will be located within 20km from the city’s business centre and will initially have two runways, but eventually will be expand into an up to four runway operation. However, it could be a couple of decades until the new facility becomes operational.
The surge in passengers has been driven by improving yields with seat load factor reaching a high of 86 per cent. This was particularly evident in the airline’s growing international network but was also buoyed by strong domestic sales.
Philippine Airlines will configure its A350-900s with a premium three class layout and plans to operate the aircraft on non-stop flights from Manila to the US west coast and New York, as well as on services to new destinations in Europe. The aircraft will enable the carrier to operate non-stop service on the 8,000 nautical mile Manila – New York route all year round with a full passenger load.
The Philippines is set to become the centre of the Asian aviation industry on Sunday when top decision makers arrive for Routes Asia 2016 (6-8 March), the largest route development forum in the region.
The new routes will support the growing demand for travel between Japan and Manila, a popular year-round destination with a wide selection of shopping, leisure activities as well as vibrant arts, entertainment and gaming. The flights are also expected to meet demand from Japanese travellers, and Filipino expatriates residing in Japan as well as Filipino holiday-makers or those visiting family members.
