PAL heads to Da Nang, challenges Cebu Pacific

MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will challenge Cebu Pacific for Philippine demand in Da Nang flights, as it is scheduled to launch weekly flights to the Vietnamese city by July.

PAL president and chief operating officer Stanley Ng yesterday said the airline is set to connect Manila and Da Nang on a thrice-weekly basis starting July 1.

PAL will deploy an Airbus A321 to serve the route, enabling it to carry up to 199 passengers per flight, with the aircraft divided into business class and economy cabin.

The airline, which has been flying to Vietnam since 1986, will mark its third expansion this year in the country. Recently, PAL has upgraded its Manila flights to Hanoi to a daily frequency, and the carrier is also launching Cebu services to Ho Chi Minh beginning May 2.

Ng said the launch of Manila connection to Da Nang would improve travel linkage between the Philippines and Vietnam. With the expansion, PAL will be able to cover all segments of Vietnam, as it currently reaches Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh in the south.

“We at PAL are excited to strengthen our close relationship with the Vietnamese people with the introduction of direct Manila-Da Nang flights,” Ng said.

“PAL is committed to offering great connectivity and promoting tourism and commerce between the Philippine capital city and the central Vietnamese heartland,” he added.

PAL’s Vietnam expansion also provides Filipinos with another option when reaching Da Nang, a route presently served directly by only one carrier, Cebu Pacific.

In 2023, Cebu Pacific made the first gamble in the Manila-Da Nang corridor, mounting flights for the route initially on a weekly schedule. Since then, Da Nang has become an important route in Cebu Pacific’s network, driving the airline to upgrade the flight to a daily service.

Da Nang is known for several landmarks like the Golden Bridge and Marble Mountaings. It also sits close to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, particularly Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son and the Hue Imperial City.

To date, PAL flies daily from Manila to Hanoi, and eight times a week to Ho Chi Minh.

Currently, PAL sends off non-stop flights from Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao to 31 destinations domestically and 37 cities in Asia and the Pacific, Australia and North America.