PAL returns to Beijing with weekly flights

MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is expanding its flight reach in China by making a return to Beijing with thrice-a-week flights to the city starting March 30.

In an advisory, PAL said it is reinstating direct flights between Manila and Beijing as it moves to strengthen its network coverage in China.

Currently, PAL runs daily flights from Manila to Jinjiang, Shanghai and Xiamen, and the airline will become the largest Philippine carrier in China once connections to Beijing are restored.

PAL president and COO Stanley Ng said the airline found it necessary to reopen Beijing flights to increase trade and tourism with China. He also underscored that the Philippines maintains a longstanding relationship with China through people-to-people exchange.

“We are honored to serve the capital city of China – the diplomatic heart of the world’s second largest economy – as our contribution to strengthening our air links to the Chinese mainland. We believe that the Manila-Beijing service will help in boosting tourism, enhance trade and deepen friendly ties between the Filipino and Chinese people,” he said.

In returning to the Manila-Beijing route, PAL is assigning an Airbus A321, with a capacity of up to 199 seats, to serve the flight.

PAL will offer the Manila-Beijing flight every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, with the departure to Beijing scheduled in the morning, while the return is slated in the afternoon.

Beijing is the world’s eighth largest city and is home to some of the most popular destinations in China such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven.

Beijing can be used as a jump-off to the seaport district of Tianjin, which is roughly an hour away from the city by high-speed train. Meanwhile, Chinese tourists from Beijing can reach domestic destinations like Boracay, Cebu and Davao from Manila through PAL.

In 2024, the country’s largest carriers, including PAL, reduced their flight frequencies to China in light of weak demand. At that time, bilateral ties with Beijing were also turning bitter following President Marcos’ order to ban all Philippine offshore gaming operators.

Airlines across the world have struggled to recover Chinese tourists in the post-pandemic period, and it was particularly painful for Southeast Asian economies like the Philippines.

China used to be the biggest source of foreign arrivals to the Philippines prior to the pandemic in 2019, accounting for at least a fifth, or 1.74 million, of the 8.26 million total. — Rudy Santos