Philippine Airlines (PAL) has opened a new route to Jinjiang, China, its seventh flight destination in that country, PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Jaime Bautista said on Tuesday.
"With a huge number of Chinese-Filipinos tracing their origin to this part of China, the new PAL service provides them a convenient link to home,” Bautista said.
He said business travelers and members of the Chinese-Filipino community, who regularly travel to the Fujian province, may now experience the flag carrier’s distinct Filipino brand of in-flight service, which is marked by warmth, charm and hospitality.
Many ethnic Chinese-Filipinos trace their roots in Fujian province. More than 80 percent has ancestral ties in Jinjiang, which is part of Quangzhou City, Fujian Province.
Other PAL flights to China include Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau. The flights to Jinjiang opened last April 25.
PAL said introductory fares to Manila are being offered to Jinjiang’s business and leisure travelers as well as visiting friends and relatives as part of the flag carrier’s inaugural flight offerings.
The new service departs Manila at 11a.m. via PR356 every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving Jinjiang at 1:25 p.m. Return flights on the same day depart Jinjiang at 2:25 p.m. via PR 357, arriving Manila at 4:55 p.m.
The airline said that it sustained its financial turnaround after posting a record net comprehensive income of $85 million for the first quarter of 2015, a huge comeback from the $20.7 million net loss incurred in the same period last year.
The flag carrier has reported a total comprehensive income of $20.4 million for 2014, breaking a three-year losing streak and setting the airline on a path to sustained growth.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, PAL reported total revenues from January to March 2015 increased 30% to $627 million, from $482.4 million in the same period last year.
The carrier said that this was attributed mainly to an increase in passenger traffic after new international destinations were opened, as well as the expansion in domestic route network following an enhanced commercial arrangement with PAL Express.
