February 1941
Philippine Airlines is founded by a group of businessmen led by Andres Soriano, one of the country's leading industrialists.
March 1941
A month after being incorporated by a group of Filipino businessmen, Philippine Airlines takes to the skies with a twin-engine, five-seater Beech Model 18 aircraft from Nielsen airfield in Makati to Baguio.
September 1941
The Philippine government invests in PAL, paving the way for the airline's nationalization.
September 2, 1941
PAL begins service to Cebu.
February 14, 1946
PAL resumes post-World War II operations with services to 15 domestic points. The fleet consists of five Douglas DC-3s.
July 31, 1946
PAL becomes first Asian airline to cross the Pacific when it operated a chartered Douglas DC-4 on the first of several flights to ferry home initially 40 US servicemen. Each crossing took 41 hours with fuelling stops at Guam, Wake, Kwajelein and Honolulu.
September 5, 1946
PAL opens services to Hongkong and Shanghai with DC-3s. FEATI went to the same cities with DC-4s. Then President Manuel A. Roxas agreed to invest in both airlines for the purchase of new aircraft provided government representatives sat as chairmen of the board.
November 14, 1946
An air treaty between the Philippines and the US was signed. Among other things, the treaty limited the Philippines to one route across the Pacific which PAL was already operating, while American airlines were allowed two in the exchange of air services. It also gave fifth freedom rights to and beyond Manila while the Philippines was allowed only traffic to and from the US. The Philippines had little choice in the matter as it badly needed American aid for rehabilitation.
December 1946
PAL starts regular service between Manila and San Francisco.
May 3, 1947
PAL starts a DC-4 service to Rome and Madrid, thus earning the distinction of being the first airline in Southeast Asia to fly to Europe. Each flight took two days with stops at Calcutta, Karachi and Cairo. By the end of the year, the service was extended to London.
May 29, 1948
PAL begins flying two newly acquired DC6s across the Pacific. The new aircraft enabled PAL to reduce the trans-Pacific crossing to 30 hours from 41 on the DC-4s, by eliminating Kwajelein and making stops only at Guam, Wake and Honolulu.
August 6, 1949
President Elpidio Quirino flies on one of PAL's DC-6s to the US, becoming the first Chief Executive of the Republic to travel by PAL across the Pacific.
November 16, 1951
Service to Taipei starts with the DC-3. The year ended as the most successful so far for PAL, with a profit of P2.8 million.
July 4, 1952
The first Douglas DC-6B is delivered, bringing Ramon Magsaysay, Sr., then secretary of national defense, home from a visit to the US. The aircraft was used to fly President Elpidio Quirino on a visit to Indonesia and inaugurate service to Zurich and Frankfurt in the same month.
October 11, 1957
Paul I. Gunn, PAL's first pilot, dies in a crash of a C-45 airplane, together with five others, in Batangas.
August 15, 1959
PAL extends its popular "Star" service to Davao. The service operated with DC-3s between sunset and sunrise, offered the lowest fares in the world at P 0.10 per seat mile.
June 1962
PAL enters the jet age with the introduction of DC-8 jetliners.
November 1, 1965
PAL extends international service to Singapore with the DC-8.
May 4, 1966
PAL passengers to Cebu, Davao and Bacolod begin savoring jet speed and comfort when the airline introduced BAC One Elevens Series 400 on the routes.
September 12, 1966
President Ferdinand E. Marcos left for the US on a DC-8 on his first state visit since being elected to office in November the previous year.
November 1, 1968
PAL extends international service to Singapore with the DC-8.
November 1, 1968
PAL starts service to Taipei with the DC-8 and to Saigon with the BAC One Eleven.
August 1, 1971
Frankfurt is added to the European route as PAL continues to expand its international services.
September 9, 1971
Australian operations is extended to Melbourne as international services continue to expand.
January 1974
PAL becomes a monopoly in domestic air travel after President Ferdinand Marcos (by virtue of his powers under Martial Law) ordered the foreclosure of two other airlines – Filipinas Orient Airlines (FOA) and Air Manila Inc. (AMI) – due to the fuel crisis arising from a war in the Middle East. PAL was told to absorb the aircraft and staff of FOA and AMI.
May 12, 1974
PAL carries its 25 millionth revenue passenger on an HS-748 flight from Butuan to Cebu.
July 1974
Arrival of PAL's first McDonnell Douglas DC-10 three-engine jet ushers in the era of the wide-body jet.
May 30, 1976
Antonio Arnaiz, the last of PAL's first three Filipino pilots to stay in the airline, died at 63. He was manager for commercial relations. One of his fellow 1941 pilots, Oscar Ramos, retired in 1972 while Rodolfo Tirona retired as manager of flight control at age 65 on February 1970 and died in April 1973.
November 1, 1976
PAL begins operating the European routes on its own.
October 20, 1977
The GSIS acquires 92% of PAL shares from majority PAL owner Benigno Toda, returning ownership and control back to the government. Capital increased from P25 million to P250 million.
April 8, 1978
The last DC-3 was retired after 32 years of service.
July 14, 1979
PAL becomes first airline to be honored by Les Chaines de Rotisseurs, an ancient order of gourmets, with an award for its inflight cuisine.
August 1, 1979
A route to Beijing and Canton is introduced with the first of two B727-200s, making PAL the first Asian carrier to fly into China. On the same day, PAL began carrying Filipino contract workers to the Middle East with the introduction of services to Bahrain.
January 4, 1980
The first Boeing 747-200 – dubbed as Jumbo jet – started flying across the Pacific. As PAL's new flagship aircraft, it featured 16 full-flat bunk beds called Skybeds at the upper deck exclusive for First Class passengers.
July 3, 1982
DC-10 service is introduced to Dhahran in a major breakthrough for PAL in the Middle East Filipino labor market.
August 7, 1982
Dubai is added to the Middle East route.
November 4, 1982
Paris becomes a stop in the European service.
September 2, 1984
PAL introduces twice daily A300 services between Manila and Cebu.
November 17, 1985
Trans-Pacific service is extended to Chicago.
September 1, 1986
PAL starts weekly A300 service between Manila and Ho Chi Minh City. On the same month, President Corazon C. Aquino was flown on state visits to the US.
May 1, 1987
PAL's newly-acquired Shorts SD360s – known as Sunrisers, went into service in the Visayas and Mindanao. They were the first new airplanes to be acquired for PAL's domestic fleet since 1970.
August 19, 1988
PAL takes delivery of its first two Fokker 50s.
September 24, 1988
Two Fokker 50s go into service.
August 14, 1989
PAL's first Boeing 737-300 arrived while the second came one week later as the airline continued to modernize its domestic fleet. Both went into service to four cities before the end of the month.
September 1, 1989
A300 is put on regular service to Davao.
September 18, 1992
PAL is granted by a consortium of 18 local financial institutions a record-setting US$122million financing package for the purchase of 10 new long-range aircraft.
July 6, 1993
PAL's first female pilot, Ma. Aurora "Aimee" Carandang, flew for the first time as a full-fledged captain on a Fokker 50 flight from Manila to Baguio.
July 6, 1993
PAL flew its first million miler on a flight from Manila to Ho Chi Minh. Businessman Friedrich E. W. Jahns had flown exactly 1,155,538 miles with PAL when he was awarded an 18-karat million-miler pin.
August 26, 1993
Jose Antonio Garcia, PAL consultant and former president and COO of Asia Brewery, and Jose P. Magno, GSIS chairman, are elected to the PAL board of directors while Carlos G. Dominguez retained the chairmanship and presidency of the airline during the annual stockholders meeting.
July 27, 1994
A new twice weekly A300 service from Davao to Hong Kong via Cebu is launched.
July 29, 1994
PAL introduces a new domestic ticket payment system using BPI Express Teller machines in Metro Manila, Davao and Cebu.
January 1995
Lucio C. Tan becomes Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
September 23, 1998
PAL suspends operations as the Asian financial crisis takes its toll, aggravated by industrial action by its unions. It pulls out of most routes and drastically reduces its fleet. PAL would resume operations on a limited scale on October 7, 1998.
June 4, 1999
The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission approves a rehabilitation plan designed to return PAL to financial viability, following a capital infusion of US$200 million by chairman Dr. Lucio C. Tan and his associates. PAL would now begin the climb back to full recovery.
March 2000
PAL reports a net income of Php44.2 million for fiscal year 1999-2000, its first year under rehabilitation. The result snaps six straight years of losses and produces one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Philippine business.
March 2001
PAL reports a profit of 419 million pesos at the end of fiscal year 2000-2001, its second year under rehabilitation.
August 2002
PAL unveils a revamped and enhanced frequent flyer program, Mabuhay Miles.
March 2003
PAL registers net income of 295 million pesos for fiscal year 2002-2003.
May 2003
PAL launches Online Departure & Arrival facility - access to real-time flight info.
June 2003
PAL introduces a new booking engine; adds Okinawa to its worldwide network to a total of 27 international and 20 domestic destinations.
October 2003
PAL returns to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia after a 5-year absence.
December 2003
PAL adds fifth B747-400 to its young fleet of 30.
February 2004
PAL hosts biggest Interclub Golf Tournament in 57 years; extends its online booking services to its Japanese website.
March 2004
PAL marks 63rd year with Las Vegas service launch.
April 2004
Laoag becomes 21st domestic destination after suspending flights to this region for 6 years.
May 2004
PAL launches E-ticketing where passengers could book, pay and get a seat by phone or thru internet.
December 2004
PAL takes delivery of two virtually brand-new aircraft, both Airbus A320s, as part of continuing drive to rejuvenate its existing fleet.
March 2005
PAL launches a long-awaited service to Nagoya giving the flag carrier its fifth gateway in Japan.
November 2005
PAL starts a regular service between Manila and Beijing giving the flag carrier a direct link to People's Republic of China's capital city.
December 2005
In a deal valued at approximately USD840 million, PAL orders nine brand-new A320 jets and options for five more A320s from Airbus.
May 2006
PAL passes the IATA Operational Safety Audit – a requirement for maintaining IATA membership – making PAL the only Philippine registered airline to be certified safe by IATA.
June 2006
PAL Domestic Flights now 100% ET-enabled with the successful cutover of Naga.
May 2007
PAL completes the implementation of electronic ticketing for all flights throughout its network.
June 2007
Philippine Airlines reports a net income of $140.3 million for its fiscal year ending March 31, 2007 - the largest annual profit in the airline's 66-year history.
August 2007
PAL takes delivery of its eighth Airbus A320-family aircraft - taking it about halfway through an $840-million modernization program for its narrow-body fleet that began in September 2006. PAL has contracted up to 20 brand-new A320-family jets, comprising nine firm orders, six leased units and five option aircraft.
November 2007
PAL is named "Airline Turnaround of the Year 2007" by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation; took delivery of its ninth Airbus A320-family aircraft, part of the 20 brand-new single-aisle jets PAL has ordered from the European aircraft manufacturer and airplane leasing companies.
October 2007
PAL exits from receivership.
May 2008
PAL starts a regular service between Manila and Macau.
May 2008
Fleet of Bombardier Q300 and Q400 mark return of turboprop operations, offering low-fare, inter-island service to match those of competing low-cost carriers.
PAL's own internet booking engine started offering Calendar Shopping/Pricing for international itineraries. The internet booking engine is available on the websites of Philippine Airlines, philippineairlines.com and palexpressair.com.
October 2008
PAL hosts 50th Worldwide Airlines Customer Relations Association conference at Cebu.
March 2009
A domestic flight attendant – Pamela Bianca Manalo – is crowned Binibining Pilipinas-Universe. She was also picked as the pageant's Miss PAL.
April 2009
Launch of "Real Deal" marks series of low-fare promos in response against cut-throat competition with low-cost carriers (e.g. Cebu Pacific)
May 2009
PAL launches PAL Mobile, the first in the Philippines
August 2009
Record loss of $301.4 million (later revised to $297.8 million) is reported for Fiscal Year 2008-2009 due to high fuel prices and effects of the global recession.
August 2009
BancNet ATM cards now accepted as payment in PAL website. We are the first Philippine-based airline to offer this kind of service to the public. Now more people can shop online for PAL domestic tickets and avoid the queues at ticketing offices.
October 2009
PAL Express operations is taken over by Air Philippines
November 2009
PAL takes delivery of the country’s first Boeing 777
December 2009
Cabin reconfiguration of all Airbus A320s to bi-class (Mabuhay and Fiesta) makes PAL the only Philippine carrier to offer Business Class service on all domestic flights.
March 2010
Four times a week service to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marks the return of PAL to the Middle East after a four-year absence.
March 2010
Countdown to PAL's 70th anniversary in 2011 with year-long series of promos.
May 2010
Philippine Airlines emerges as the most trusted airline brand for Filipino consumers, according to an annual, Asia-wide survey by the respected international publication Reader’s Digest.
July 2010
Annual loss for Fiscal Year 2009-2010 reduced to $14.3 million.
November 2010
PAL launches the advance seat selection which is available for customers who make online bookings on PR operated services at
www.philippineairlines.com
.
March 2011
Philippine Airlines celebrates its 70th year by commemorating its storied past while charting a course for the future.
October 2011
Three departments/offices, namely – Airport Services, Catering, Reservations – are outsourced to independent third party service providers (despite opposition from the ground crew union) for the long-term financial viability of PAL."
March 2012
PAL flies to Bali, re-establishing direct air links between Manila and Indonesia’s prime holiday destination.
April 2012
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) acquires 49% of PAL Holdings for US$500 million and takes management control of PAL and PAL Express. SMC President Ramon S. Ang becomes PAL president and chief operating officer. Lucio Tan remains chairman.
June 2012
PAL takes delivery of its 3rd Boeing 777
August 2012
PAL signs a firm order for 54 Airbus jets worth over US$7 billion -- the biggest aircraft deal in Philippine aviation history. A month later, PAL orders 10 more Airbus aircraft.
September 2012
PAL announces service innovations. Aside from new airplanes, the flag carrier unveiled new destinations, a fresh inflight menu, book-and-buy kiosks and PAL ticket offices inside Petron gas stations and Apple iPads for inflight entertainment.
October 2012
Frontline computer systems are integrated and updated. The new one-stop-shop facility improves book-and-buy capability at various touchpoints – website, call center, ticket offices and travel agents.
October 2012
Full domestic code-sharing between PAL and PAL Express takes effect. PAL flies to nine domestic points while PAL Express' domestic network expands. Both airlines can now market and sell tickets on each others' flights. PAL Express improves passenger amenities while remaining a budget airline. PAL flights continue to operate out of NAIA Terminal 2, PAL Express at Terminal 3.
November 2012
PAL takes delivery of its fourth Boeing B777-300ER.
November 2012
PAL re-establishes direct links to the North American East Coast after 15 years with the launch of its first-ever non-stop flights to Toronto, Canada using the Boeing 777-300ER.
March 15, 2013
On PAL’s 72nd anniversary, Airphil Express formally re-brands as PAL Express, adopting the flag carrier’s “sunriser” livery and logo. The two airlines will align their service standards and product offerings to provide customers a seamless full-service experience, while remaining separate companies.
April 26, 2013
PAL announces plans to open 11 new routes in 2013 under an ambitious network expansion program to complement its fleet modernization thrust. The new points are Basco, Kuala Lumpur, Darwin, Brisbane, Perth, Guangzhou, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah.
May 1, 2013
PAL returns to the Philippines’ northernmost province after 15 years with a three-times-weekly service to Basco, Batanes, operated by PAL Express Bombardier Q400 turbo-prop aircraft.
May 2, 2013
PAL resumes service to Kuala Lumpur after a seven-year absence. Airbus A319 aircraft is deployed on the route four times weekly.
June 1, 2013
Two routes touching three Australian cities are launched. Manila-Darwin-Brisbane vice-versa operates three times weekly while Manila-Darwin-Perth vice-versa flies four times weekly. Both routes utilize Airbus A320 jets. Darwin and Perth are maiden destinations for PAL while Brisbane was last served in October 2010.
July 9, 2013
PAL iN AiR, the airline’s novel in-flight mobile phone and wi-fi internet service, is launched on a Boeing 777-300ER flight between Manila and Vancouver. This makes PAL the first Philippine carrier and one of the first in the world to offer both cutting-edge services. Passengers can now call, text, tweet, email and surf the internet while in-flight, giving them unprecedented connectivity to the outside world throughout their air journey.
July 16, 2013
PAL starts a four-times-weekly Airbus A320 service to Guangzhou, its sixth gateway in China. PAL is returning to the southern industrial city for the first time since April 1985.
August 7, 2013
PAL’s first Airbus A321-200, first of 64 Airbus aircraft ordered 12 months earlier, arrives from Germany. This kicks off the airline’s comprehensive fleet renewal program, with deliveries scheduled over the next six years.
September 3, 2013
PAL cancels its four-times-weekly service to Perth via Darwin, just three months after it commenced on June 2. The twin service to Brisbane via Darwin remains unaffected.
October 1, 2013
PAL returns to the Middle East after two and a half years with a five-times-weekly service to Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. A month later, on November 6, 2013, PAL Express launches its first long-range route, a five-times-weekly service to Dubai, the UAE’s commercial capital. Both services utilize brand-new Airbus A330-300 High Gross Weight aircraft.
November 4, 2013
PAL returns to Europe after 15 years with a five-times-weekly, non-stop service to London Heathrow Airport. The new service comes just four months after the European Union took PAL off the blacklist that prevented Philippine carriers from operating to the continent. All other local airlines remain on the list.
November 11, 2013
PAL Express flight 2P 5971, a special humanitarian service carrying doctors, search-and-rescue teams and several kilograms of medicines and emergency supplies, is the first non-military flight to arrive in Tacloban, three days after super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) devastated the city and the surrounding region. On the flight out to Cebu, the Bombardier Q400 turbo-prop carried 75 evacuees. Over the next four weeks, the company’s philanthropic arm, the PAL Foundation, delivers more than 200 tons of relief supplies to Tacloban.
December 1, 2013
PAL returns to Saudi Arabia after an absence of two years and nine months with a four-times-weekly service to Riyadh starting this day and a three-times-weekly service to Dammam from December 3. Brand-new Airbus A330-300 High Gross Weight aircraft are deployed on both routes.
February 27, 2014
PAL suspends its four-times-weekly Kuala Lumpur service after 10 months of operation due to commercial reasons. Earlier, on January 12, 2014, PAL Express also ended its service to the Malaysian capital.
March 1-30, 2014
Services between Cebu and 10 points in Visayas and Mindanao are suspended on various dates throughout this month as PAL rationalizes its operations. Also suspended are the services between Iloilo and General Santos; Davao and Zamboanga; Zamboanga and Jolo; and Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi.
March 30, 2014
PAL starts a double-daily service to Haneda Airport in downtown Tokyo, its fifth gateway in Japan, after Tokyo Narita, Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya.
May 3, 2014
Following the Philippines’ upgrade to Category 1 rating by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on April 10, PAL begins deploying its new Boeing 777-300 ER fleet on trans-Pacific routes to the U.S. West Coast while its longtime flagship, the Boeing 747-400, is gradually phased out. The B777-300 ER is first flown to Los Angeles on May 3 and to San Francisco on May 9, 2014.
May 12, 2014
The Boeing 747, which served as PAL’s flagship for 35 years, was formally retired in a ceremony at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City. The airline’s four B747-400s would be gradually withdrawn from service over the next four months. The last PAL commercial flight of the iconic “jumbo jet” took place in the late evening of August 29, 2014, when PR 105 took off from San Francisco International Airport, with 285 passengers on board, bound for Manila. It arrived at 3:30 a.m. of September 1, 2014, welcomed with a water-cannon salute at its home port, ending a memorable era in Philippine aviation.
July 9, 2014
PAL and Etihad Airways, the flag carrier of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, launch a wide-ranging strategic partnership that covers code-share flights, loyalty programs, airport lounge access, joint sales and marketing programs, a Philippine domestic air pass, cargo, and the coordination of airport operations in Manila and Abu Dhabi.
August 15-17, 2014
PAL mounts two special flights to Malta, chartered by the Philippine government, to ferry home 774 Filipino workers fleeing the civil war in Libya. On August 15, flight PR 9908, utilizing a Boeing 747-400, departs Manila at 4:00 p.m., followed by PR 9906, using an Airbus A330-300, at 6:40 p.m. After picking up the OFWs at Malta, the B747-400 arrives back in Manila just before midnight on August 16 with 419 evacuees on board. The A330-300, carrying 355 workers, arrives at 3:40 a.m. on August 17. PAL would operate a third charter flight on August 20 to pick up more than 400 OFWs at Tunis. That flight returned to Manila at 11:00 p.m. on August 21.
September 8, 2014
The two biggest shareholders of PAL, the Lucio Tan Group and San Miguel Corp., sign an agreement where San Miguel consents to sell its 49% stake to the LT Group, subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions.
September 15, 2014
The Lucio Tan Group officially assumes management control of PAL after executing payment in accordance with the agreement with San Miguel Corp. Former PAL president Jaime J. Bautista is appointed general manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the company. Ramon S. Ang remains president until the closing date of the agreement, expected in about a month.
October 17, 2014
The Lucio Tan Group, through its wholly owned companies Buona Sorte Holdings Inc. and Horizon Global Investments Ltd., acquires 9% and 40%, respectively, of the 49% stake of San Miguel Equity Investments Inc. in Trustmark Holdings Corp. Trustmark Holdings owns 89.78% of the issued and outstanding shares of PAL Holdings Inc., which in turn owns 98.27% of Philippine Airlines Inc.
October 23, 2014
The PAL board of directors elects general manager Jaime J. Bautista as the airline’s president and chief operating officer, in place of Ramon S. Ang, who resigns. The board is also reconstituted with the election of Joseph T. Chua as vice chairman, Florentino M. Herrera III as corporate secretary, and Carmen K. Tan, Heinrich T. Khoo, Manuel M. Lazaro and Johnip G. Cua as members. They join incumbent board members Lucio K. Tan, Jr., Michael G. Tan, Washington SyCip, Alberto D. Lina, Estelito Mendoza, Antonino Alindogan, Jr. and Gregorio T. Yu. Dr. Lucio C. Tan remains PAL chairman and chief executive officer.
October 26, 2014
PAL and All Nippon Airways, the largest carrier in Japan, forge a commercial partnership covering code-share flights between the Philippines and Japan, loyalty programs, airport lounges, joint sales and marketing program, and the coordination of airport operations. PAL code-shares on ANA’s two daily flights between Manila and Tokyo Haneda, as well as on select domestic routes in Japan. On the other hand, ANA code-shares on PAL’s various services linking Manila and Cebu with five points in Japan, as well as on 10 Philippine domestic routes.
December 19-20, 2014
PAL expands its footprint in Japan with the opening of new routes between Cebu and two central Japanese cities. The flag carrier launches a four-times-weekly Airbus A321 service to Osaka on December 19 and a three-times-weekly A321 service to Nagoya on December 20.
January 17-19, 2015
PAL reprises its role as “Shepherd One” – the official carrier of the pope, leader of the universal Roman Catholic Church – during the apostolic visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines. On January 17, a PAL A320 jet flies Pope Francis to and from Tacloban in inclement weather where he commiserated with the survivors of November 2013’s super typhoon Yolanda. On January 19, a PAL Airbus A340-300 flies the pontiff back to Rome at the conclusion of his five-day visit. PAL president Jaime J. Bautista accompanies the pope on the 15-hour non-stop flight.
February 10, 2015
PAL starts code-sharing on select Canadian domestic flights of WestJet, that country’s second-largest airline. These flights originate from PAL’s two gateways in Canada, Vancouver on the west coast and Toronto in the east. They include WestJet services between Vancouver and Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Toronto. From Toronto, PAL code-shares on certain WestJet flights to Montreal and Ottawa.
March 15, 2015
On its 74th anniversary, PAL returns to New York after 18 years with a four-times-weekly service from Manila to John F. Kennedy International Airport via Vancouver. Airbus A340-300 aircraft are deployed on the route, the longest in PAL’s network at 14,501 kilometers. Chairman Lucio C. Tan and President Jaime J. Bautista are both on the inaugural flight, which is warmly welcomed by the Filipino community on the U.S. East Coast. New York is PAL’s fifth destination in the U.S.
March 20, 2015
PAL starts thrice-weekly flights between Manila and Tablas, Romblon province using Bombardier Q300 turbo-prop aircraft. The airline first flew the route in 1956 but suspended it in the late 1990s upon the retirement of its Fokker 50 fleet.
March 29, 2015
PAL revives its Cebu domestic hub with flights to six cities in Visayas and Mindanao: Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Iloilo and Tacloban. Services between General Santos and Iloilo, and between Zamboanga and Davao are also resumed. All flights utilize Airbus A320 aircraft.
April 15, 2015
PAL reports total comprehensive income of $20.4 million for 2014, the company’s first profit in four years. It is a huge turnaround from the $229.7 million loss incurred in April-to-December 2013. (In that year, PAL shifted its accounting period from a fiscal year to a calendar year standard, resulting in a shorter reporting period of nine months.) The profit is anchored on strong performances by passenger and cargo operations, and helped by the easing of fuel prices.
April 25, 2015
PAL launches a three-times-weekly service to Quanzhou in Fujian province, China, the ancestral homeland of most Filipino-Chinese families. Airbus A320 aircraft are deployed on the route.
May 4, 2015
PAL continues its financial turnaround with a total comprehensive income of $85 million for the first quarter (January to March) of 2015. It reverses a $20.7 million loss incurred in the same period of 2014. The profit is attributed to the increase in passenger traffic following the opening of several domestic and international destinations, as well as aggressive sales campaigns that resulted in improved yields.