TAGBILARAN CITY — Boholanos and Davaoeños can now easily visit Davao City or Tagbilaran as direct flights between the two cities started on Wednesday.
Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. and Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto welcomed the passengers of the inaugural flight.
The Philippine Airlines (PAL) is plying its Tagbilaran-Davao-Tagbilaran route with an 86-seater Q4 Newgen Bombardier aircraft.
PAL flies the route four times a week — Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday — on the following flight schedules: Tagbilaran-Davao at 12:25 pm and Davao-Tagbilaran at 10:40 am.
Chatto said the new routes signify a new milestone in Bohol air travel as locals have long clamored for a direct flight to Davao.
Tagbilaran Mayor John Geesnell Yap and some PAL and government officials also witnessed the arrival of the inaugural flight from Davao.
The direct flights will surely help spur the tourism industry of both cities, local officials said.
Direct flights between Davao and Tagbilaran are among the additional flights at the old airport.
Earlier, PAL started direct flights from Incheon, South Korea to make it easier for South Korean tourists to visit Bohol.
It is expected that more flights will be opened once the New Bohol Airport in the island town of Panglao starts operations by middle of next year. (Dave Albarado/PNA)
