PAL adds more flights to Clark hub

Four new destinations – Bacolod, Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro and Virac – will be added to the Philippine Airlines (PAL) route network this mid-December out of the airline’s hub at Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

The inauguration of these new routes marks a significant investment by the flag carrier in the development of Clark International Airport as a major airline gateway. PAL’s Clark hub now provides passengers from central and northern Luzon direct access to a total of 13 domestic points as well as to Seoul, South Korea.

On December 15, PAL opened a four times weekly service to Bacolod and daily flights to Tagbilaran in Bohol.

On December 16, a three times weekly service to Cagayan de Oro (PR833) began.

PAL will use the 199-seater Airbus A321 on the flights to Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro, and the 156-seater A320 to Tagbilaran.

On December 18, PAL mounted three times weekly flights to Virac, capital of the island province of Catanduanes.

The Bombardier Q400 will be used on the Clark-Virac-Clark route.

On top of the four new routes, PAL flies to nine domestic destinations out of Clark: Basco, Busuanga, Calbayog, Catarman, Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, Masbate and Puerto Princesa.

Early next year, Naga will be added to the list. The airline is evaluating the possibility of operating more new routes from Clark in due course.

PAL’s build-up of operations at Clark, as well as in Cebu, Davao and recently Tagbilaran, aims to significantly enhance travel convenience and connectivity for Philippine domestic travelers, while also serving to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

The PAL flights are expected to boost tourism and make it more attractive for foreign tourists to visit multiple destinations throughout the country.