PAL launches Las Vegas service today

Philippine Airlines launches today a much-awaited service to Las Vegas, Nevada via Vancouver, Canada – its first destination in the North American interior and a fitting milestone on the anniversary of its founding as Asia’s first airline 63 years ago.

The inaugural flight, PR 106, departs Centennial Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 4:40 p.m. with all 264 seats on the Airbus A340-300 taken.

On board are top PAL officials led by president and chief operating officer Avelino L. Zapanta, executive vice president Henry So Uy, and officer-in-charge of sales Enrique Javier.

They are joined by ranking government officials Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Franklin Ebdalin and Undersecretary of Tourism Evelyn Pantig. Also in the inaugural party are representatives from the Philippine travel trade and tourism community.

"Our foray to Las Vegas is a major step in our march to full rehabilitation," said Zapanta. "For the first time in seven years, PAL now flies to a point beyond the West Coast of North America, giving us a wider presence in the United States, our most important market. Coming just a day after our 63rd anniversary, this is an historic occasion indeed."

Yesterday (March 15), PAL observed its founding day in typically modest fashion, with religious services held at airline facilities throughout the country.

But the mood was clearly upbeat with the Las Vegas inaugural and the announcement by Zapanta that the flag carrier had vastly exceeded expectations by posting a profit of P555 million in the month of January 2004.

PAL’s maiden flight to Las Vegas arrives there at 4:40 p.m., local time, after a one-and-a-half-hour stop in Vancouver where more guests from that city’s travel trade and media will join.

An official welcome will be accorded PR 106’s passengers at McCarran International Airport. The following day (March 17), PAL will host a press conference, cocktails and a performance by top Filipino balladeer Martin Nievera at the Golden Nugget.

Expected to grace these events are important personalities from the government, business, tourism and entertainment establishments in Las Vegas and Nevada. Among the confirmed attendees are Nevada Lieutenant Governor Lorraine T. Hunt and Manuel J. Cortez, president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

The inaugural activities will be replicated in Vancouver when the PAL delegation and their guests head there on March 18.

The new service will operate four times weekly, with departures from Manila every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 4:40 p.m. Arrival in Vancouver and Las Vegas is at 12:45 p.m. and 4:40 p.m., respectively.

The return service departs Las Vegas at 6:40 p.m. on the same days. Arrival in Vancouver is 9:15 p.m. and in Manila at 5:20 a.m. two calendar days later.

PAL has full traffic rights between Las Vegas and Vancouver. Widebody Airbus A340-300 aircraft, configured into 12 First Class, 32 Mabuhay (Business) Class and 220 economy class seats, are deployed on the same-plane route.

Las Vegas is PAL’s fifth US destination after Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Guam, and 24th internationally. PAL also flies to 18 points in the Philippines, with service to the 19th point - Laoag City in the northern Ilocos region - slated to start April 1, 2004.