Philippine Airlines launches Manila - Brisbane Promotion

Philippine Airlines is offering a special round-trip fare of US$552 for early bookers of its new service to Brisbane, Australia, scheduled to launch on 17 March 2010. The introductory rate, which includes applicable surcharges but not government taxes and service fees, is available for sale until 15 February 2010, and is valid for travel, outbound-Manila, between 5 April and 31 August 2010.

The discounted fare is available on “book and buy” basis via the PAL website, any PAL ticket office or through accredited travel agents.

The new Brisbane service marks PAL’s return to the Queensland capital after a 12-year absence and underscores the airline’s commitment to its customers in Australia despite the global economic downturn.

With the addition of Brisbane, PAL will restructure its Australian operations. The current daily, same-plane operation to Sydney and Melbourne, which now share a triangulated routing to and from Manila, will be modified.

From 17 March, PAL will fly twice weekly between Manila and Brisbane, routed Manila-Melbourne-Brisbane-Manila.

PR 213 departs Manila every Wednesday and Friday at 8:00 p.m., arriving in Melbourne at 7:00 a.m. the following day. It continues on to Brisbane at 8:30 a.m., touching down there at 9:50 a.m.

The return, non-stop service to Manila, PR 214, departs Brisbane the same morning (Thursdays and Saturdays) at 11:20 a.m., arriving in the Philippine capital at 4:50 p.m.

Widebody Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which seat 42 passengers in Mabuhay Class (business) and 260 in Fiesta Class (economy), will be deployed on the service.

PAL first flew to Brisbane on 5 June 1985. In succeeding years, the city formed a key part, along with Sydney and Melbourne, of the airline’s multi-legged operation to Australia. But commercial and operational difficulties spawned by the Asian financial crisis of 1997 forced the flag carrier to shut down its Australian services on 5 June 1998.

Brisbane becomes PAL’s 25th international destination in a gradually expanding route network. PAL will also resume flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia later in March. It also flies to 20 points within the Philippines.

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