DAVAO CITY—Four-star carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said it was studying at least two Asian cities to link this city to more international destinations after it officially declared the Davao airport its third hub.
Hong Kong and Bangkok were the most likely, said Rabbi Vincent Ang, PAL EVP for commercial business development of PAL Express.
The Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry earlier asked PAL and the other carrier, Cebu Pacific, to mount flights to Japan, banking on the numerous residents here and nearby cities and provinces working previously as entertainers in that country.
Ang said the international destinations would back the increasing connections to domestic destinations of this airport, with the country’s surfing capital, Siargao Island of Surigao del Norte, as its latest link.
PAL has destinations to Tagbilaran in Bohol and the Mindanao cities of Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga from its Davao hub.
Ang said the addition of Siargao was part of the expansion program of PAL.
Its inaugural Siargao flight last Sunday used the 76-seater Bombardier 400, a turbo-prop aircraft, as the PAL ramped up promotions to use the Davao airport to Siargao and other destinations.
“It would now save time and money for travelers from here,” he said.
The Davao-Siargao destination would be served with four flights weekly.