After a three-year respite, Philippine Airlines (PAL) resumes daily flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on June 8, 2017, as the flag carrier works to expand its Southeast Asian operations.
The reopening of the route, the airline said, comes as member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gear towards economic integration through increased trade, investment, and employment opportunities. Close to 800,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are employed in Malaysia.
“The resumption of PAL flights between Manila and Kuala Lumpur will help foster economic and cultural ties between the Philippines and Malaysia. Most importantly, it addresses the clamor for a direct service between the two capital cities,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said in a statement.
“Through PAL flights and code-share partners, we can carry passenger traffic from Kuala Lumpur to China, Japan, South Pacific and North America and thus enhance our ASEAN network,” he added.
Malaysia is a profit center in the ASEAN region, providing a favorable investment climate to individuals and organizations. With investment opportunities abounding in Malaysia’s service and manufacturing sectors, PAL said the route will provide direct access to new business opportunities.
Malaysia is also ranked as ninth destination of choice in the world and second leading economy within the ASEAN region, next to Singapore.
PAL’s decision to operate daily flights between Malaysia’s capital city and Manila comes amidst the airline’s fleet modernization and route expansion program.
Flying the Manila-Kuala Lumpur-Manila route is the Airbus A321, considered as one of the most efficient single-aisle jetliners. Its stretched fuselage—measuring 146 feet, or 23 feet longer than the A320—makes the A321 the longest and widest airplane among all single-aisle aircraft. The 199-seater aircraft has 12 seats in business class, 18 in premium economy, and 169 in regular economy.
The nonstop service, the airline said, will enable travelers from Kuala Lumpur to enjoy Manila for several days and hop on to the Philippines’ top travel destinations. From Manila, they may also connect to other domestic and international points PAL flies to.
The airline’s network covers 29 domestic and 44 international destinations. It recently opened new domestic and international connections from Cebu in the Visayas and Clark in Central Luzon. The carrier, which has the Heart of the Filipino brand philosophy, serves Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, the United States, and Europe (London).
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