FLAG CARRIER Philippine Airlines (PAL) has started nonstop flights between Cebu and Guam, offering direct service from Central Visayas to the western Pacific Islands.
The Cebu-Guam route, which began operations on Dec. 16, complements PAL’s daily Manila-Guam flights. The airline uses Airbus A321ceo aircraft for the new service.
Flights from Cebu to Guam operate three times weekly — on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays — while return flights from Guam are on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Earlier this month, PAL announced it would revive its Manila-Saipan service by March to further expand connectivity across the Pacific. The airline will operate the route twice weekly, with departures from Manila every Wednesday and Sunday and return flights on Mondays and Thursdays.
Saipan, a US territory, will become PAL’s seventh US destination, joining Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Guam, and Honolulu. The Manila-Saipan route will complement PAL’s existing Pacific network, which includes flights to Guam, Honolulu, and Palau via Cebu. PAL first launched seasonal Manila-Saipan flights in 2016.
On the financial side, PAL Holdings, Inc., the operator of PAL, reported a 33.58% jump in attributable net income to P9.03 billion from P6.76 billion a year ago, driven by higher passenger revenues of P116.56 billion, up from P115.66 billion.
Cargo and ancillary revenues contributed P6.71 billion and P12.67 billion, respectively.
Total revenues for the nine-month period rose 2.68% to P136.01 billion from P132.45 billion, while gross expenses increased 3.96% to P124.85 billion from P120.09 billion. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
