0 PAL Expands Down Under

Flies Darwin, Brisbane on December 10

November 6, 2012

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is adding Darwin and re-introduces Brisbane to its growing international network starting December 10 with four flights per week using Airbus 320 aircraft, reports from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) bared yesterday. 

PR flight 221 leaves Manila at 22:30 every Monday and Friday arriving Darwin at 04:30 the following day, with departures at 05:30 for Brisbane every Saturday and Tuesday arriving 10:00. For days Sunday and Wednesday PR 221 leaves Manila at 21:10 arriving Darwin at 03:10 with departure at 4:10 for Melbourne every Monday and Thursday arriving at 10:00.

The return flight PR222 will leave 11:00 from Brisbane arriving Darwin 15:30 with departure at 16:30, and Melbourne arriving Darwin at 16:50 leaving 17:50 for Manila arriving 22:30 and 23:55 the same day, respectively.

"The flights to Darwin will proceed to Melbourne and Brisbane" according to CAB Hearing Examiners Division Chief Ma. Elben S. L. Moro.

The Manila-Brisbane route was operated by PAL from 1982 to 1998, and reopened briefly in 2009 until 2010 before this year’s return.

PAL’s inaugural flight to Sydney was on October 6, 1965, while the maiden service to Melbourne was on September 9, 1971.

PAL currently flies Manila-Sydney every Monday,Wednesday,Friday, and Sunday and Manila-Melbourne route every Tuesday,Thursday, and Saturday respectively using Boeing 777-300ER planes.

The four additional routes will be serviced by Airbus A320 aircraft which doesn't have the range to fly Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane direct from Manila but can reach Darwin for technical stop onwards to those destination.

The flag carrier is also working on a twice a week service to New Zealand via Australia starting next year.


[Update]

Philippine Airlines deferred its route expansion to Darwin for the the first quarter of 2013 due to delays in regulatory approval says PAL vice president for Marketing Support Felix Cruz.