Originally announced in 2019 before the pandemic struck, a new Philippine Airlines service linking Perth and Manila will finally take off in 2023.
Commencing 27 March, three years after it was due to start, Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) Perth to Manila service will operate three times per week utilising the carrier’s A321 neo, which offers 168 seats, including 12 fully flat business class seats.
The new service will be the first-ever non-stop connection between Western Australia and the Philippines.
According to a PAL statement, flight PR223 will depart Manila on Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 12.05 am, arriving in Perth at 7.15 am, while PR224 will depart Perth at 8:30 am local time and touch down in Manila at 3:50 pm on the same days.
Perth Airport chief executive officer Kevin Brown said the new service would be a boost for WA tourism and, “with more than 7,000 islands and amazing beaches on offer, the Philippines also offers Western Australians an attractive holiday destination”.
“The schedule into Manila will maximise the opportunity to connect to some incredible Philippines destinations, including Cebu and Davao, as well as making the most of Philippine Airlines’ extensive network throughout Asia and beyond to the USA,” said Brown, adding that the route would bring 52,000 seats into the market each year.
Philippines comeback?
With Australia and the Philippines marking 75 years of diplomatic relations earlier this year, the new service seems timely.
Brown said the Philippines was also “one of the fastest growing economies in the south-east Asia region between 2010 and 2019 … so we believe that a direct connection with the Philippines is a key component in our aviation recovery”.
“Pre-Covid, we had experienced growth of 15 per cent from the Philippine visitor market, with 90,000 passengers travelling between the Philippines and Perth in 2019, with strong traffic in both directions,” he remarked.
“We are working closely with the State Government to rebuild aviation through Perth Airport – which in turn supports 100,000 jobs, our $2 billion international student sector supporting 10,000 jobs, and WA exporters that rely on passenger flights for 83 per cent of all air freight exports.
“Since the international borders reopened in March 2022, we have recovered around 60 per cent of our international traffic, and we are looking forward to working more with the Minister for Tourism and the State Government to further enhance these industries in Western Australia.”
