PAL’s AU-some flight to Perth: After Perth, Rome?
With recovery “better than expected” after the pandemic that parked most planes around the globe, flag carrier Philippine Airlines launched recently the first non-stop flight from Manila to Perth and is hopeful it can launch direct flights to Europe sooner than later. In an informal survey I made with top PAL officials, Rome seems to be among the top destinations on the radar because of the large Filipino community there.
“I never say no; instead I say, ‘Let’s explore it,’” said PAL president and COO Capt. Stanley Ng, who was the pilot-in-command of the inaugural flight from Manila to Perth, during a press conference at the Westin Perth.
“I am glad that PAL is able to cope with the speed with which the global airline industry is rebounding,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said at the sendoff ceremonies at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The hope and inspiration that power PAL nowadays come not just from aviation fuel but from its “better than expected” recovery from the pandemic and its attendant problems.
“The first four months of this year were better than expected,” said Capt. Ng at the sidelines of a gala dinner to celebrate the inaugural flight. It was a milestone flight — the first ever non-stop flight to Perth since PAL started flying to Australia in 1965; Australian Ambassador Hae Kyong Yu was not only onboard, but she was flying to her home city of Perth; and the PAL president was flying the plane. A seasoned pilot, it was only his second time to be pilot-in-command since assuming the PAL presidency in 2022. He also flew President Marcos Jr., no less, to the ASEAN Summit in November 2022.
“I can assure you we had a happy landing,” he said during arrival ceremonies at the Perth International Airport earlier in the day. Later, he would tell members of the media that stepping into the cockpit once again made him realize, “I miss flying. Flying actually relaxes me.”
Why Perth as the first new destination, non-stop at that, for the flag carrier after the pandemic?
“It’s actually the opportunity, the size of the market and at the same time the capability of our fleet. So, for this particular market, we’re looking at not only, of course, Filipinos traveling from the Philippines, or Filipinos traveling back to the Philippines. We’re looking not only at the labor market and the student population, we also have business and at the same time, we want to sell the rest of our network,” said VP for sales Bud Britanico.
PAL SVP and general counsel Atty. Carlos Luis Fernandez is bullish about the prospects of the service, a seven-hour, thrice weekly service that saves travelers four to six hours in travel time compared to other routes with stopovers.
“We are looking not just at the Filipino travelers way to Australia or Australians’ way to the Philippines. We are also looking at the beyond. Australian travelers who want to go to Japan and New York — that’s what we are also looking at.” You see, the Perth-Manila flight arrives at 3:30 p.m., just in time for the PAL flights to Japan and the United States.
There are about 46,000 Filipinos living in Perth, according to Philippine Ambassador to Australia Helen de la Vega.
Perth is an homage to nature — with sprawling parks, blue rivers, several animal species. It has colonial buildings that complement its skyline. The city has a laidback vibe. Our tour bus driver told us that the initials of Western Australia, where Perth is, mean, “Wait awhile.” No one is rushing, or can be rushed, and yet people are punctual for appointments.
I asked Capt. Ng, who believes in the power of being in the moment and not worrying about yesterday or tomorrow, “If the first four months of the year were better than expected, how about the rest of the year?”
“I continue to be optimistic,” he said.
So, why not, Rome, indeed? *
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