Philippine Airlines launches Seoul-Palawan flights

Philippine Airlines is to launch a commercial service between Puerto Princesa and Seoul today, opening a new gateway for Korean tourists to the Philippines and notching an aviation milestone in the process. The new flights between Seoul and Puerto Princesa International Airport, mark the first time an international flight of a major carrier has touched down in the Palawan capital.

The service operates twice weekly, with departures from Seoul every Tuesday and Friday at 5:10 p.m. Arrival in Puerto Princesa is at 8:50 p.m.

The return flight, PR 4860, departs Puerto Princesa on the same days at 10:45 a.m. and arrives in Seoul at 4:10 p.m.

PAL has deployed the A320-200, which seats 12 in Mabuhay (business) class and 138 in economy, on the four-hour-and-20-minute flight.

The service is designed to cater to the booming tourist traffic from Korea, the Philippines's third largest source of visitors, by providing them an alternative to the traditional destinations of Manila and Cebu.

Palawan, a major island province located in western Philippines, is a relatively untapped area for international tourism but brims with potential. The rugged island chain is famed for its unspoiled natural beauty, highlighted by hidden lagoons, dramatic limestone cliffs and unique wildlife.

Puerto Princesa, the provincial capital, is the regional center of commerce, education and political administration, and hosts the area's only international airport.

The service is PAL's fourth link between the Philippines and Korea. The airline already flies daily between Manila and Seoul, four times weekly between Manila and Busan, and four times weekly between Cebu and Seoul.