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PAL set for Brisbane after 10-year hiatus

Philippines Airlines (PAL) is considering a restructure of its Australia network that would see the carrier operate to Brisbane for the first time in a decade, Travel Today understands.

The airline is looking at twice-weekly flights to the Queensland capital in a triangular service with Melbourne and Manila, the Philippine capital.

PAL last operated to Brisbane in the late 1990s shortly before the Asian financial crisis brought the airline to its knees.

Currently, PAL operates a five times weekly service linking Manila, Melbourne and Sydney. That will revert to a daily service by the end of the November following an improvement in economic conditions. Two of the services were suspended in September following the downturn.

Sources said the Manila-Melbourne-Brisbane-Manila services will start on March 10 if management goes ahead with the plan. Further route network talks are expected to take place soon with a decision likely before the end of the month.

“The Brisbane plans have been on the table for a while but it may now become reality,” one source said. “Market conditions have improved.”

But any return to Queensland will likely be at the expense of Sydney which is thought likely to lose two of the seven weekly services. However, it is believed the carrier will introduce a larger A330-300 on the route, with a 777 utilised on Brisbane.

19 November 2009