Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will begin operating a Manila-Sapporo route by September to serve the growing clamor for direct flights to the popular Japanese destination, the Lucio Tan-owned firm said on Wednesday.
To entice customers, PAL is offering a very low special promotional fare of $399, round-trip economy base fare, for a one-day sale on Friday, July 6, through the airline’s booking website, its ticketing offices or partner travel agents.
In a press briefing, the airline said its new route would be the only nonstop air link between the Philippines and Sapporo, the capital of the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Sapporo is known for its skiing and annual Sapporo Snow Festival featuring ice sculptures, along with a wide range of natural and cultural attractions that are popular tourist draws during the spring, summer and autumn seasons.
The six-hour nonstop PAL service will operate thrice weekly—every Monday, Wednesday and Friday—landing at Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport and using the flag carrier’s brand-new Airbus A321neo aircraft. Sapporo will be the sixth Japanese destination served by PAL.
From Manila, PAL currently flies to Fukuoka, Nagoya (Chubu), Osaka (Kansai) and Tokyo (both Narita and Haneda airports); from Cebu, PAL operates flights to Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo Narita. There are also daily PAL flights between Taipei and Osaka. All these services translate to a total of 89 weekly PAL flights between the Philippines and Japan, making PAL the airline with the largest route network in Japan from its two main hubs in Manila and Cebu.
“We are proud and excited to tap the range, power and superior comfort of the new A321neos to pioneer the world’s first Manila to Sapporo air route—truly, this new aircraft enables PAL develop new long-haul markets that were not previously accessible with older single-aisle aircraft,” PAL president Jaime Bautista said.
The 168-seater Airbus A321neo has 12 seats in business class and 156 seats in economy class.