United Airlines blocks PAL bid to fly to Seattle

Taipan Lucio Tan’s Philippine Airlines (PAL) is facing tough opposition in its bid to debut flights to Seattle in the United States.

PAL has no direct rivals in its nonstop flights to the United States, which continues to stand out as a reliable and bankable market.

But a plan to launch Manila-Seattle flights on May 3 this year has hit a snag.

United Airlines is lobbying for the US Department of Transportation to put PAL’s expansion on hold until the American industry giant is given added slots in the busy Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

United Airlines said the Philippines was behaving unfairly by denying it an additional daily flight between Guam and Manila while PAL continues to expand to the United States.

“Both carriers should be given a level playing field when it comes to expanding service between the US and the Philippines, and that is not the case currently,” United Airlines said in a Feb. 10 letter seen by the Inquirer.

PAL, which flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Honolulu, responded a week later as it accused United Airlines of an attempt to “hold hostage beneficial first nonstop service between Seattle and Manila.”

It also called on the US regulator to reject United Airlines’ petition to delay its Seattle expansion.

“Under the circumstances, the failure to timely grant PAL’s application would be tantamount to a violation of the bilateral air transport agreement,” PAL said.