PAL increases flights

MANILA, Philippines - National flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has increased flights by deploying all available aircraft and posting full staff complement at airports to accommodate the surge of holiday travelers.

For this year’s peak season, PAL has added flights to five international destinations (Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Riyadh and Singapore) and seven domestic destinations (Zamboanga, Ozamis, Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, Dipolog, Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro).

Five selected flights going to Guam are also using a bigger aircraft (Airbus A330), the same with the mid-morning flight from Manila to Davao, using the Boeing 747-400.

Details of changes in schedule and aircraft may be viewed at the PAL website www.philippineairlines.com.

On the ground, PAL’s frontline offices (check-in counters, baggage handling, cargo sales, ticket offices and other customer-contact work places) in Manila and in all domestic and international stations will have maximum manpower complement to serve the needs of travelers.

PAL has also beefed up its security measures during the holidays including the deployment of more guards and bomb-sniffing K-9 unit at various locations of the NAIA Terminal 2.

PAL has been regularly coordinating with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and heads of airport authorities in the provinces to address peak season concerns.

Special low-fare, limited-seat promos were recently made available to bargain-hunters, such as discounted tickets to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco exclusively on sale at the PAL website, and the 4-day Hong Kong package for travel between Dec. 23 and 31, 2010.

Other recent promos include the Payday Special, the Grand Seat Raffle draw for December, the Midnight Special every Saturday and a month-long Manuel Baldemor painting auction for the benefit of sick children.

PAL is again advising its passengers to get to the airport early to avoid missing their flights, considering the heavy traffic around NAIA. Those with international flights should be at the airport at least three hours before departure, and for domestic flights, at least two hours before departure.