Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced the launching of non-stop flights between Cebu and Los Angeles beginning March 15, 2016 as part of the expansion of the flag carrier’s route operations to the United States.
PAL and the Department of Tourism have already mounted various roadshows and aggressive campaigns in many parts of the United States, and in the country, mainly to promote Cebu and Los Angeles flights and strengthen traffic between the US and the Philippines.
The start of the new service will commence on a milestone date – PAL’s 75th founding anniversary.
The thrice weekly service will utilize the 254-seater bi-class Airbus A340 with 36 lie-flat seats on business class and 218 seats on regular economy.
“Our customers in the Visayas and Mindanao have long clamoured for direct flights between Cebu and the US due to the travel convenience this will bring. One can simply take a short hop to Cebu from any point in the Visayas and Mindanao and connect to Los Angeles, instead of flying all the way to Manila,” PAL president and COO Jaime J. Bautista explained.
“Foreign tourists and our kababayans in the United States will benefit from the flexibility of choice in terms of flights to and from the Philippines,” he added.
Cebu, as explained by Rowena Montecillo, DOT Director -Region 7, is a great jumping off point for balikbayans and tourists traveling to several Visayas and Mindanao destinations.
At present, the airline has 11 weekly flights between Manila and Los Angeles, 10 between Manila and San Francisco, and four between weekly flights to New York, and five weekly flights each to Guam and Honolulu. The new US service from Cebu will bring to 38 the total number of frequencies to the United States per week. This development brings Mactan International Airport as major hub next to the NAIA terminals in Manila.
The newest service is scheduled to depart Cebu at 6:25pm and arrive Los Angeles at 5:55pm local time; while the return service departs Los Angeles on same day at 8:40pm and touchdown Cebu at 4:40am.