PAL sets more international flights

MANILA, Philippines - National flag carrier Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL) is set to launch several flights to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Malaysia, Taiwan and China this year as it completes its major re-fleeting program which includes acquiring 100 aircraft.

PAL has filed an application before the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to impose a $170 fuel surcharge on passengers of flights to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as Doha in Qatar.

The flag carrier also intends to bill a fuel surcharge of $75 for passengers going to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, $55 for passengers flying to Guangzho in China, and $$50 for those going to Kaoshiung in Taiwan.

PAL, jointly owned by tobacco and airline magnate Lucio Tan and diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC), has already completed more than half of its re-fleeting program.

PAL is in the middle of a massive refleeting program which includes acquiring 100 aircraft. It entered into a $7 billion deal with Toulouse-based EADS in August to acquire 54 new Airbus aircraft consisting of 34 A321ceo, 10 A321neo, and 10 A330-300s that would be delivered starting next year.

The airline also exercised an option to acquire 10 more wide-bodied planes in another contract worth about $2.5 billion last September.

PAL is also looking at mounting flights to Istanbul in Turkey, Kuwait, and Phonm Penh in Cambodia this year

The airline currently maintains and operates 39 aircraft comprising of five Boeing B747-400s and three B777-300ERs as well as four Airbus A340-300s, eight A330-300s, 15 A320-200s, and four A319-100s.