The PAL pull-out follows on the heels of Air Asia’s announcement it was axing its Darwin-Bali service. Malaysia Airlines also pulled out of Darwin in July 2017.
Philippine Airlines is preparing to scrap its four weekly flights between Manila and Darwin.
But bad news for the northern Australia capital city is good news for Brisbane. PAL will launch a direct flight service from Manila to Brisbane, possibly as early as March this year. Currently the route offered by PAL is Manila-Darwin-Brisbane.
The PAL pull-out follows on the heels of Air Asia’s announcement it was axing its Darwin-Bali service. Malaysia Airlines also pulled out of Darwin in July 2017.
Philippine Airlines president and chief executive James Batista said in an email that the company was planning to suspend Darwin-Manila services from March 24.
“After five years in which we have painstakingly developed the market to and from Darwin in the Northern Territory, and even considering the incremental gains achieved so far, the projected modest passenger loads, coupled with no yield, make the service to Darwin economically unsustainable,” Batista said.