Following the announcement of Philippine budget airline Cebu Pacific of its new direct flight between Melbourne and Manila starting August 2018, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) revealed its plan to increase number of direct flights between Melbourne and Manila, and also Brisbane and Manila.
Starting 1 June, flights between Manila and Melbourne will be five times a week, compared to three in the current setup. In a statement released on 7 March, PAL said PR207 would leave Manila every Wednesday and Friday at 4.45pm and arrive in Melbourne at 3am local time the following day.
PR208 will leave Melbourne every Thursday and Saturday at 5.40am local time and touch down in Manila at 10.55am on the same day.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, PR209 will leave Manila at 9.10pm and land in Melbourne at 8.30 am local time the following day.
On Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, PR210 will leave Melbourne at 10.15 am local time and reach Manila at 3.30 pm on the same day.
PAL said it will use its reconfigured Airbus A330s with lie-flat business class seats as well as new premium economy and new economy seats.
In another development, PAL also revealed it will fly non-stop between Brisbane and Manila starting 28 March three times a week on Airbus 340s. The route used to stop over at Darwin which would be suspended indefinitely due to low demand, according to the PAL announcement.
PR221 will operate every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, departing Manila at 11.30pm and arriving in Brisbane at 9.20am local time the following day.
PR222 will leave Brisbane every Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11am local time and arrive in Manila at 5pm on the same day.
PAL also noted that its Manila-Brisbane flights would shift to four times weekly once it receives its new Airbus A321neos later this year.
So sad that
the they stopped the Darwin – Manila flight, now I have to go to Darwin- Singapore, Singapore-Manila