23/11/2022
PAL EXPANDS CEBU HUB WITH NEW ROUTES, PIONEER SERVICES
Launching new connections to Baguio, Borongan, Bangkok and BARMM in Dec 2022
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Nov. 23, 2022
Philippine Airlines is embarking on a significant expansion of its network hub in Cebu City with its Larga Ta, Cebu! campaign, introducing brand new regional and domestic routes out of Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
For December 2022, the Philippine flag carrier is pioneering services to link Cebu with Baguio in northern Luzon and Borongan in Eastern Samar. PAL will also connect Cebu with Cotabato City and Tawi-Tawi, the key commercial and tourist gateways for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Internationally, PAL is resuming flights between Cebu and Bangkok on December 9, adding a new regional connection to PAL’s existing flights between Cebu and Tokyo’s Narita Airport.
"Philippine Airlines hopes to build up Cebu 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,” said PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Capt. Stanley K. Ng during a press conference at Cebu’s Radisson Blu hotel. “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.”
"Our goal is to revitalize domestic travel and economic development by leveraging the strength of the Queen City of the South and enhancing its connectivity to all corners of the nation,” said Mr. Rabbi Ang, OIC/President of PAL Express. “This is a vital step in support of the government's thrust to revitalize Philippine tourism and the national economy."
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.
CEBU - BAGUIO
Beginning December 16, 2022, in a historic first for Philippine aviation, PAL will kick off direct flights between Cebu and Baguio, the Summer Capital of the Philippines.
• PR 2230 Cebu-Baguio will operate every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday - departing Mactan-Cebu at 8:50 AM; arriving at Baguio Loakan Airport at 10:50 AM.
• PR 2231 Baguio-Cebu will operate every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday - departing Baguio at 11:10 AM, arriving in Cebu at 01:00 PM.
"Our Manila-Baguio flight on March 15, 1941 marked the start of the aviation age for the Philippines and Asia. In the same pioneer spirit, we are delighted to link the northern and central regions of our country with nonstop service between Cebu and Baguio," said Capt. Ng.
The Cebu-Baguio flights will operate with De Havilland Dash 8 Series 400 Next Generation aircraft, 86-seater high-performance turboprops that fly with jet-like comfort in a quiet cabin.
CEBU - BORONGAN
On December 19, PAL will offer direct twice weekly services between Cebu and Borongan City, the surfing capital of the Visayas and home of pristine caves, forests, waterfalls and other natural treasures:
• PR 2651 Cebu-Borongan flies every Monday and Friday, departing at 11:00 AM, arriving in Borongan Airport at 12:00 Noon.
• PR 2652 Borongan-Cebu flies every Monday and Friday, departing at 12:30PM, arriving in Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 1:30 PM.
CEBU – BARMM (COTABATO and TAWI-TAWI)
Starting December 1, the flag carrier will mount twice weekly direct flights between Cebu and Cotabato City. The flights will be part of a one-stop service between Cebu and Tawi-Tawi, offering travelers an easy link to the southernmost islands of the Philippines without having to fly first north to Manila for a connection.
These services offer the potential of revitalizing commercial activities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
PR 2223 Cebu-Cotabato flies every Monday and Thursday, departing at 05:20 AM, arriving in Cotabato’s Awang Airport at 06:35 AM.
PR 2224 Cotabato-Cebu flies every Monday and Thursday, departing at 11:00 AM, arriving in Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 12:15 PM.
PR 2487 Cebu – Tawi-Tawi flights depart Cebu at 05:20 AM every Monday and Thursday and land in Tawi-Tawi at 08:30 AM after a stop in Cotabato.
PR 2488 Tawi-Tawi – Cebu flights depart from Tawi-Tawi at 09:00 AM and fly via Cotabato to arrive in Cebu at 12:15 PM.
Travelers from Cotabato City may use PAL’s Cebu hub network to connect to Boracay, Clark, Coron, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Siargao and Baguio.
CEBU - BANGKOK
PAL will reopen direct flights between Cebu City and Bangkok with a twice-weekly service slated every Monday and Friday from December 9, 2022 using 199-seater Airbus A321 aircraft.
“We are seeing a comeback for tourism in the ASEAN region, and our revival of Cebu-Bangkok flights gives us the chance to grow the Philippines-Thailand passenger market and strengthen bilateral ties," said PAL President Capt. Ng.
The flights from Cebu serve Bangkok’s main gateway, Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), which provides easy access to central Bangkok and connections to other destinations in Thailand.
PR 738 Cebu-Bangkok – every Monday and Friday departing at 09:30 AM
PR 739 Bangkok-Cebu – every Monday and Friday departing at 01:30 PM
PAL will operate the service with a 199-seater Airbus A321 aircraft.
MORE CEBU HUB FLIGHTS
Philippine Airlines 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 busy holiday season.
As key Asian countries reopen their borders, the flag carrier is considering the resumption of direct flights between Cebu and other cities in Japan. Details will be announced in due course, when plans and schedules are finalized.
PAL currently operates three weekly flights between Cebu and Tokyo Narita.
In addition to Cebu hub developments, PAL continues to expand its global network in a calibrated and gradual manner, as part of a restoration of the Philippines’ international and inter-island air linkages after the hiatus of the pandemic.
About Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is the Philippines’ flag carrier and only full-service network airline. PAL was the first commercial airline in Asia and celebrated its 81st anniversary in March 2022. PAL's young fleet of Boeing 777s, Airbus A350s, Airbus A330s, Airbus A320s/A321s, and De Havilland DHC-8-400 Next Generation aircraft operate out of hubs in Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao to 32 destinations in the Philippines and 32 destinations in Asia, North America, Australia, and the Middle East. PAL was rated a 4-Star Global Airline by Skytrax in 2018 and was voted the World’s Most Improved Airline in the 2019 Skytrax worldwide passenger survey with a ranking of 30th best airline in the world.
