CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — The Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced on Thursday the opening of the three new routes, namely Clark-San Vicente (Palawan), Clark-San Jose (Mindoro) and Clark-Cauayan (Isabela) starting Oct. 28.
PAL Express president Bonifacio U. Sam made this announcement in a press conference held here.
The three routes to be operated by the certified 4-star flag carrier are historic “first-ever” milestones, and all will utilize PAL’s brand-new 86-seater Bombardier Next-Generation Q400 turboprop aircraft fitted with six economy plus premium seats and 80 roomy economy class regular seats.
Services to San Vicente and San Jose will begin on Oct. 28, while flights to Cauayan to start on Oct. 30.
The PAL flights to San Vicente will start with five weekly flights (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday), and will increase to daily flights by December 18 this year. Flights depart Clark at 7 a.m., arriving in San Vicente one hour and 40 minutes later.
PAL is pioneering regular flights to the newly-opened airport at San Vicente, a first class municipality and gateway to El Nido in north Palawan. San Vicente’s 14-kilometer, white sand Long Beach is a fast emerging tourist attraction.
Meanwhile, San Jose in Occidental Mindoro will have four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, leaving Clark at 11a.m. The return flight departs San Jose at 12:05 noon.
Vacation spots in San Jose include Aroma beach, Ambulong and White islands, ancient burial caves and shell divers at Ilin Island and Mt. Iglit National Park.
On the other hand, three times weekly flights (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) to Cauayan in the center of Isabela are intended to help hasten economic growth in the country’s second biggest province. The Q400NG will leave Clark 11 a.m., arriving in Cauayan 45 minutes later.
PAL used to fly the Manila-San Jose and Manila-Cauayan routes several decades back as two of the so-called missionary routes operated out of Manila.
The decision to make Clark the origin for new routes to Mindoro and Isabela is a reflection of the flag carrier’s confidence in the emerging popularity of Central Luzon as an economic center and strategically important aviation gateway in its own right.
“PAL made a big decision to invest in Clark. The Clark International Airport is not just a stop-over or refueling station. Clark is our fastest growing hub airport, center of a network of flights that connects the country,” Sam said.
“I would like to thank the people of Pampanga, Tarlac and the surrounding provinces for supporting our flights here. Our operations would not have grown to this magnitude if not for your support,” Sam added.
With a network of 18 domestic destinations and one international route (to Seoul Incheon), PAL has strengthened its position as the biggest airline operator out of Clark International Airport.
No longer just an alternate aerodrome to help decongest Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Clark is now recognized as PAL’s fastest growing hub airport.
Clark has overtaken Cebu – another PAL hub of operations – in the number of domestic points linked: 15 domestic destinations from Cebu, 18 from Clark.
PAL started developing the Clark hub in December 2016 with a flight to Caticlan. The first PAL international flight from Clark was to Incheon, South Korea in January 2017.
The Q400NG flights are operated by PAL’s affiliate airline PAL Express. (Marna Dagumboy Del Rosario/PNA)
