Philippine Airlines stated on Friday that it will increase its flights to China from Philippines by resuming the route between Manila and Xiamen in the following month.
Nearly three years after the service was suspended owing to border restrictions connected to COVID, this would represent the flag carrier’s restoration of its planned service to mainland China.
The PAL route to Xiamen would gradually increase frequency, in accordance with the easing of constraints and necessary government authorizations, it stated, beginning with one flight per week, running every Friday.
“The restoration of our flights to and from the Chinese mainland is off to a promising start with the resumption of our Manila-Xiamen route, which is a positive development as we ring in the new year. In order to operate the widest network of flights between the Philippines and numerous places in mainland China, Philippine Airlines is constantly seeking to fly back to more Chinese cities, according to PAL vice president for sales Bud Britanico.
As we move forward, we are eager to serve more clients and solidify the cordial ties that bind the Chinese and Filipino people, according to Britanico.
Beginning on January 13, PAL will operate just one weekly flight between Manila and Xiamen.
While scheduled services on the airline’s regular routes were suspended, PAL claimed to have operated a number of authorized regular charter flights to Nanjing (from July 2020 to September 2022), Hangzhou (from August 2022 to September 2022), Tianjin (from July 2022 to August 2022), and Wuhan (from August 2022 to the present).
The airline once provided service to five Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xiamen, and Quanzhou) before the COVID-19 restrictions began.