Philippine Airlines flies to PNG

Philippines Airlines (PAL) is set to launch flights to Papua New Guinea Friday, as it expands in the Oceania region.

In a statement, PAL said it will fly to Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, thrice a week -- every Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

The flag carrier will utilize an Airbus 320, a short-to-medium haul narrow-body jet with 156 seats, for the Manila-Port Moresby flights.

“After its successful inaugural in Cairns and Auckland, PAL continues its expansion in the Oceania Region by resuming flights in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. It allows PAL to be of service to the travel needs of tourists and businessmen both from Manila and Papua New Guinea,” PAL President and COO Jaime J. Bautista  said  in a statemen.

The new flight will cater mostly to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), with an estimated 30,000 Filipino professionals based in Papua New Guinea.

With the new flight, Port Moresby will become PAL’s 39th international destination.

Earlier this month, PAL launched flights to Cairns, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand.

For the first nine months of 2015, listed PAL Holdings, Inc. said its net income ballooned by 2,465% to P6.11 billion, while revenues increased by 11% to P81.98 billion. This was attributed mainly to higher passenger revenues and other revenues generated during the period.


SOURCE: BUSINESS WORLD