PAL counts 27 ‘million milers’

There’s a millionaires club in the country so exclusive it has only 27 members. Their main qualification: they’re all high fliers, literally. Welcome to the Philippine Airlines "Million Miler" class.

Part of the flag carrier’s popular Mabuhay Miles frequent-flyer program, the Million Miler category honors those select few who have logged at least one million miles on PAL flights. They enjoy privileges such as lifetime priority treatment and travel assistance from PAL staff wherever they may be.

They also receive top priority on the waitlist of fully booked flights, additional free baggage allowance, priority check-in and boarding, access to Mabuhay and other VIP lounges, and Sports Plus global privileges.

German businessman Friedrich Jahns was the first to ascend to the elite circle in June 1993, followed by Jerry Doviack, the American president of a dental products company in Manila, in February 1999. Doviack went on to become PAL’s first "2 Million Miler," notching the rare milestone in July 2002.

Since Jahns’ feat, over two dozen other frequent fliers have reached – and exceeded – the million-mile plateau, indicating strong preference, in terms of repeat business, for services of the national carrier.

PAL’s million milers comprise a cross-section of the Philippine and international business communities. They include captains of industry such as George Drysdale, chairman and CEO of Marsman Drysdale Group; Enrique Razon, chairman of International Container Terminal Services; Antonio Garcia, chairman of Chemphil Industries; and Tomohide Shimokawa, president of Apex International Services.

There are also former Cabinet secretaries Edgardo Espiritu; Roy Navarro, now chairman of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.; and Amable Aguiluz IV, chairman of the AMA Group.

The peripatetic golfing fraternity is well represented in the person of Benigno Gopez, president of the National Golf Association of the Philippines and head of his own golf-equipment distributorship.

The only woman million-miler is a famous face, Maria Victoria Henares – otherwise known as Dr. Vicky Belo – the renowned beauty surgeon to the stars.

While there have only been 27 PAL million milers, the list is lengthening rapidly, Jahns was the only member from 1993 until 1999, when Doviack joined him. But in 2002, seven new names were added. In 2003, eight frequent fliers were inducted.

And in the first 10 months of this year alone, seven PAL patrons became million milers – proof that loyalty to the flag carrier indeed has its just rewards.