Philippine Airlines (PR, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) is looking to enter India by the fourth quarter of 2018 with two new planned services out of Manila Ninoy Aquino International to each of Delhi International and Mumbai International, the Business World has reported. The carrier also plans to launch new direct services to New York JFK and Sapporo Chitose.
Currently, no airline operates direct scheduled services between the Philippines and India.
The decision to launch these routes follows an appeal by Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo, according to whom India could potentially become a significant source of tourists incoming to the Philippines.
The service to New York-JFK will launch as a direct route on October 30, 2018, ch-aviation schedule analysis shows, replacing the current service via Vancouver International.
The Filipino flag carrier plans to take delivery of four new A350-900s from June 2018, although it is unclear whether these Airbus widebody jets will be used for India or Sapporo routes. The service to New York is currently planned to be operated with B777-300(ER)s.
The carrier has also said it is in talks with authorities in order to replace the services to Caticlan and Kalibo serving Boracay, a resort island closed for six months due to pollution, with new routes out of China, Taiwan, and South Korea to Cebu and Puerto Princesa.
