PAL sees revenues from Australian operations reaching $60 million this year

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Airlines (PAL) expects revenues from its operations in Australia to reach $60 million for the current fiscal year which began April 1, 2010, compared with around $40 million in the previous year.

PAL country manager for Australia and New Zealand Arnul Pan said their revenue target represents about four percent of PAL’s total revenues.

Pan explained that the increase in revenues is partly due to the reopening of the Manila-Brisbane-Manila route earlier this year as well as the growing market.

In March, PAL began its service to Brisbane after a 12-year absence, tapping the huge Filipino migrant community in Queensland, as well as the leisure, business and cargo traffic out of the state.

The airline also flies to Sydney and Melbourne.

Meanwhile, PAL announced a major seat sale on all its domestic routes as it salutes the inauguration of the nation’s new President.

Dubbed “Fly the Flag with the Nation’s Leader,” the promotion slashes one-way, economy-class fares on flights between Manila and any destination in Luzon or Visayas to P888, and between Manila and any Mindanao point to P1,888. Tickets for Cebu-Davao and vice versa are also slashed to P888.

PAL was the leading Philippine carrier in terms of flights and seat capacity operating out of NAIA for the past two years.

The promo fares already include value-added tax but do not cover airport (ASF) and ticketing service fees.   They are available for sale online and at PAL ticket offices and travel agents until June 30, 2010

Tickets bought on these fares are valid for travel between July 1 and October 15, 2010 . Travel must be completed by October 15, 2010.

PAL flies to three points in Luzon (Laoag, Legaspi, Puerto Princesa), eight in the Visayas (Bacolod , Cebu , Dumaguete, Iloilo, Kalibo, Roxas, Tacloban, Tagbilaran) and eight in Mindanao (Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, General Santos, Ozamiz, Zamboanga).

Since its founding in March 1941, PAL has been the official carrier of Philippine presidents on state visits and important trips.

PAL also announced that close to 40,000 passengers availed of Philippine Airlines’ recent Independence Day seat sale, making them one of the flag carrier’s most successful promotions.

PAL ran a number of discounted-fare promotions in the days leading up to the 112 th anniversary of Philippine independence last June 12.

The major promo, dubbed “Fly the Flag,” was a novel series of one-day sale covering 12 domestic and international destinations selected for their historical significance. It drew many thousands of passengers, mostly domestic travelers.