PAL resumes Manila-Kuala Lumpur routes

MANILA, Philippines - Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) resumed its Manila-Kuala Lumpur (KL) flights on Thursday, three years after it decided to stop offering the said route.

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna told the Philippine News Agency that PAL started its Manila-KL routes in the 80s, but has decided to stop in 2014 as part of the carrier's route capacity rationalization.

"Now we have a more competitive product -- a 199-seater Airbus A21 with business, premium economy and regular economy seats," she said.

For his part, PAL president Jaime Bautista said the resumption of this service would further strengthen the economic and cultural ties between the Philippines and Malaysia.

He also noted the clamor for a direct service between Manila and KL.

Bautista also emphasized that having this route can help enhance the country's ASEAN network, since PAL flights and code-share partners can carry passengers from KL to China, Japan, as well in south Pacific and north America.

PAL acknowledges that Malaysia is a profit center in the ASEAN region. "Close to 800,000 overseas Filipino workers are employed in Malaysia," the airline said.

Thus, with investment opportunities in Malaysia's service and manufacturing sectors, the PAL route will provide direct access to new business oportunities," it added.

Passengers can choose from the following daily Manila-KL flight schedules:

PR 525 departs Manila every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 7:25 a.m. and arrives in KL at 11:00 a.m. local time; the return flight – PR526 – leaves Kuala Lumpur on the same days at 12:10 p.m. local time, and touches down in Manila at 3:50 p.m.

PR 527 leaves Manila on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and arrives in KL at 3:00 p.m. local time; the return service – PR528 – departs Kuala Lumpur on the same days at 4:00 p.m. local time and touches down in Manila at 7:30 p.m.

PAL and Malaysia Airlines have also expanded their code-share arrangement, which include code sharing on 12 domestic Malaysian destinations and nine Philippine destinations.

These points in Malaysia are Alor Setar, Johor Bahru, Kota Bharu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuching, Labuan (Sabah), Langkawi, Miri (Sarawak), Penang, Sibu (Sarawak) and Tawau (Sabah).

In the Philippines, the points are in Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Caticlan.

In a statement, Malaysia Airports senior general manager Zainol Mohd Isa said they are always committed to building strong relationship with partner airlines to support growth not just in Malaysia but globally.

He added that Malaysia Airports will ensure PAL's operations will get their full support in terms of any facilities and services it will be needing at the terminal. (Ma. Cristina C. Arayata/PNA) posted by Becky D. de Asis-The Redline News PH