‘Heart of the Filipino’ PAL stronger at 75

Susan Tanos, winner of the PAL round-trip business class ticket, with (from left) Del Merano, Pacific Air International Manager Lyn Abad Daly City Mayor Glenn Sylvester and Allan Coo. INQUIRER/Esther Misa Chavez

BURLINGAME, California — Philippine Airlines at 75 and soaring higher certainly had a lot to celebrate the holidays with its staff, travel partners and Filipino American media at its annual Christmas party.

Allan Coo, PAL executive and Canada country manager, had a litany of good news to share with the expectant partygoers. He said that in mid-December, PAL acquired its eighth Boeing B777-300ER to further expand its North America flights.

This makes possible the new “Daily Double flights” between Manila and Los Angeles, adding to the current 10 weekly flights. This allows passengers to choose between morning and evening flights. In addition, Flights between Manila and Vancouver will increase from 7 to 10 weekly, while flights between Manila and Toronto will increase from 3 to 4 weekly via Vancouver.

Clark International Airport will be part of the expanded flights between Cebu to Caticlan, Cebu-Los Angeles, and other islands and provinces in the North. At the same time PAL is developing Cebu as its second hub to decongest Manila International Airport.

Heart of the Filipino, PAL’s new slogan

No carrier is closer to Filipinos’ hearts and minds than PAL. For 75 years it has established its presence and continued service to the ever growing needs of some 103 million Filipinos, from Batanes, the northern-most part of the archipelago to Jolo, its southern-most.

The Cebu hub will serve Southern Visayas and the biggest island, Mindanao, and soon parts of Asia, such as Singapore.

Coo happily announced that in 2018, several Airbus 350s would be added to the fleet, including 12 Bombardier 2400. Smaller planes will further increase its services to outlying islands.

Allan Coo, PAL Canada country manager addressing partygoers. INQUIRER/Esther Misa Chavez

The new acquisitions are part of the airline’s fleet modernization program, which, together with route network expansion and service innovations, is in line with PAL’s vision to be a five-star, full service national carrier of the Philippines.

Prizes galore

San Francisco Area Sales Manager Dell Merano, Account Officer Emelyn Roxas-Liwag and PAL staff took turns distributing presents to all attendees. Gifts included See’s Chocolate candies, PAL goodie bags with visor, pen sets and miniature PAL B-777s.

Travel agency carolers at PAL’s Christmas party in Burlingame, California. INQUIRER/Esther Misa Chavez

Two attendees went home with PAL round-trip economy tickets from the Philippines to anywhere in Asia and one lucky winner, Susan Tanos of Pacific Air Travel, bagged a round-trip business class ticket from San Francisco to Manila.

Missing from the party was its recent-past Country Manager Marilla Revilla who was recently promoted and is now back in Manila.