PAL to reduce flights to China by half amid nCoV scare

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Friday announced that it would reduce flights between Manila and destinations in China in light of the confirmed first case of coronavirus in the country.

“In the public interest, beginning February 1st, 2020, we are reducing our flights between Manila and mainland China by more than 50%,” PAL said in a statement.

Currently, PAL is operating 69 weekly flights to and from China —Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Fujian and Xiamen.

“There is a need to maintain a number of our flights on the various Manila-China routes, so that we can serve the urgent travel needs of our passengers, including many Chinese nationals returning to the mainland following their Lunar New Year holidays, and Filipinos who are returning home from their stays in China,” PAL said.

“Nonetheless, we will further reduce our China flights in the coming weeks, based on our daily assessment of the situation and subject to guidelines and instructions from the DOH (Department of Health)/BOQ (Bureau of Quarantine) and concerned government authorities,” it said.

A list of cancelled flights will be posted accordingly, PAL said.

The reductions are in addition to the recent cancellation of the carrier’s charter flights from China.

To recall, PAL halted charter flights between Kalibo, Aklan and several destinations in China —Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. —NB, GMA News