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Philippine Airlines will launch new services to Darwin, Brisbane and Perth as part of a larger route expansion that follows aggressive moves to update the airline’s ageing fleet.
The new services, operated by narrowbody Airbus two-class A320s from the Philippine capital, Manila, will start from June 1. PR221 will depart Manila at 10:05 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, arriving in Darwin at 4 am the next day and then continuing to Brisbane for a 9:20 am arrival. Manila-Perth services will depart as PR219 at 10:25 pm on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday and will also travel via Darwin, arriving in Perth at 7:50 am the following day.
PAL also announced plans to launch new services to Kuala Lampur, Guangzhou and Abu Dhabi, bringing the airline’s international destinations to 34.
In a statement, PAL President Ramon S. Ang cited a “clamor for more flights to these destinations.” PAL previously flew to Brisbane but cut the service in late 2010, when it also reduced flights to Melbourne. Late last year the airline increased the frequency of its flights to Sydney and Melbourne to a total of seven per week. Those flights are aboard Boeing 777-300ERs.
PAL late last year purchased 20 Airbus A330s and 44 A321s as it moved to modernise its fleet in a bid reverse its flagging fortunes in recent years.
