Flag carrier Philippine Airlines has decided to cancel chartered flights between Kalibo and several cities in China, but will keep its regularly scheduled flights to and from the mainland with enhanced protective measures in place.
In a statement, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the airline’s chartered flights between Kalibo and Nanjing, Hangzhou and Shanghai will be suspended, in part due to the drop in demand from travelers.
“Our flights between Manila and Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Jinjiang, Hong Kong and Macau remain operational with protective measures in place,” she said.
Villaluna said the cancelled flights “are our China chartered flights.” “Charterers have requested cancellations in the wake of concerns on corona virus,” she said.
Passengers with tickets for travel between Jan. 24 to Feb. 29, 2020 may rebook their flights to another date until June 2020. Refund and rerouting were also offered as options with service fees waived.
Villaluna added that all members of PAL’s cabin crew wear protective masks
onboard and passengers who request masks are provided with them.
Cabins are sprayed with disinfectant and announcements were being made inflight to inform passengers that they would be scanned for fever by the Bureau of Quarantine “at point of arrival.”
Starting last Jan. 27, PAL had stopped operating inbound Kalibo flights. But all outbound flights from Kalibo had been operated this week to allow Chinese tourists to return to their homeland.
“The last outbound Kalibo flight left at 5:10 p.m. for Hangzhou,” Villaluna said. “So starting next week, no flights in and out of Kalibo.”