PAL expands to key European cities via codeshare deal with Singapore Airlines

Goh Choon Phong (left), CEO of Singapore Airline, and PAL president and chief operating officer Stanley K. Ng- contributed photo

MANILA  -Taipan Lucio Tan’s Philippine Airlines (PAL) struck a new codeshare deal with industry giant Singapore Airlines, allowing it to sell flights to a host of cities in Europe, including Paris and Rome.

The codeshare agreement will start on Singapore Airlines’ and PAL’s flights between Singapore and Manila by the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals, the Philippine flag carrier said in a statement on Wednesday.

Moreover, the Europe codeshare trips via Singapore Airlines will be rolled out across their sales channels “over the coming weeks”.

Covered are six of Singapore Airlines’ Europe destinations: Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Milan, Paris, Rome, and Zurich.

“PAL is making a comeback, albeit through codeshare services, to Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, and Zurich, which were previously served by the Philippine flag carrier in the 1980s and 1990s,” PAL said.

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It said codeshare trips to Copenhagen and Milan were the first such links of their kind for the Philippines.

Singapore Airlines will also have codeshare deals on PAL’s flights from Manila to 27 destinations within the Philippines.

These are Bacolod, Basco, Busuanga, Butuan, Cagayan De Oro, Calbayog, Catarman, Caticlan, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Laoag, Legazpi, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, San Jose (Antique), Siargao, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, and Zamboanga.

“Both airlines will also explore an expansion of the codeshare agreement to include [Singapore Airlines’] flights to additional points in Europe, as well as destinations in Australia, India, New Zealand, and South Africa,” PAL said.

“We are happy to offer our Philippine Airlines passengers a wider range of flights between Manila and Singapore through this codeshare partnership, affirming our promise to keep building new connections and opportunities for our customers,” PAL president and chief operating officer Stanley K. Ng said in the statement.

“The partnership is the product of a strengthened relationship with our fellow Asean mainline carrier, Singapore Airlines, and an enduring commitment to expanding our presence in Singapore, a top PAL destination that we have been serving for 58 years and counting,” he added.

“This agreement enables Philippine Airlines and Singapore Airlines to work more closely together, and find ways to offer our customers enhanced travel connections between Singapore and the Philippines.  This will support the growing demand for both business and leisure travel between the Philippines and Singapore, and beyond that to our key markets around the world,” said Singapore Airlines chief executive officer Goh Choon Phong in the same statement.