Philippine Airlines (PAL) is expanding its route network from Cebu and upgrading Zamboanga to a mini-hub with the introduction of three new routes designed to increase linkages to and from various Mindanao gateways.
The new routes that opened recently are the Cebu-Zamboanga, Cebu-Dipolog, and Zamboanga-Tawi Tawi flights, PAL said in a statement.
PAL’s twice-daily Cebu-Zamboanga flights depart Cebu at 5:40 a.m. and 2 p.m. every day and arrive in Zamboanga at 7:10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively.
Return flights leave Zamboanga at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. and touch down in Cebu at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
Zamboanga International Airport, meanwhile, has gained hub status as PAL launches its daily Zamboanga-Tawi-Tawi flights, which leave Zamboanga at 8 a.m. and arrive in Tawi-Tawi’s Sanga-Sanga Airport at 9:30 a.m. Meanwhile return flights from Tawi-Tawi leave at 10 a.m. and touch down in Zamboanga at 11:30 a.m.
Tawi-Tawi has become PAL’s 31st domestic gateway, as the flag carrier introduces daily flights and a full-service airline product between the Philippines’ southernmost province and Zamboanga. Additionally, Filipino and foreign tourists can now travel more conveniently to Tawi-Tawi from PAL’s hubs in Manila and Cebu, via Zamboanga.
On the other hand, the Cebu-Dipolog flights run four times a week, leaving Cebu at 7 a.m. and touching down in Dipolog at 8 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Return flights take off from Dipolog at 8:30 a.m. and arrive in Cebu at 9:30 a.m. on the same days of the week.
PAL said its new service from Cebu offers the earliest arrival for travelers wanting a full free day in Dipolog or proceeding to historic Dapitan City, the Dakak resort area, or other attractions in the province of Zamboanga del Norte.
PAL, which recently won the World’s Most Improved Airline award from Skytrax, is expanding flights and connections to and from various Mindanao gateways.
The airline said its new air linkages not only enhance accessibility and travel convenience but also help promote economic growth and business activity in the western regions of Mindanao.
In addition to Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga and Dipolog, PAL also serves Davao, Siargao, Camiguin, General Santos City, Butuan, Ozamiz City, Cagayan de Oro and Clark.
PAL has beefed up its hub network from Cebu, where PAL now serves a total of 17 destinations: Bacolod, Busuanga, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caticlan, Camiguin, Davao, Dipolog, General Santos, lloilo, Kalibo, Legazpi, Ozamiz, Puerto Princesa, Siargao, Zamboanga and Tacloban.
In the meantime, weekly flight frequencies for Cebu-Busuanga-Cebu and Cebu-Butuan-Cebu were increased from 14 flights to 21 starting December 15.
Cebu-Legazpi-Cebu flights have risen in number from seven to 10 flights weekly, and Cebu-Tacloban-Cebu flights increased from 14 to 17 flights weekly effective December 17.
With the new routes and additional frequencies on existing routes, PAL now operates a total of 294 weekly flights from its Cebu hub from the previous 256 in all.