ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/30 October) – Philippine Air Lines has decided to stop its Zamboanga-Manila flight, a move that may well be interpreted as a strategy to step up competition in low-cost air travel with Cebu Pacific Air.
PAL has served this city and neighboring areas for decades.
Albert Bangayan of the PAL-Zamboanga City Station said that the airline made its last Zamboanga-Manila last Saturday night.
Bangayan said that on Sunday the PAL employees based in this city boarded an Airphil Express flight to Manila where they will be given new assignments.
He said the decision to stop PAL’s Zamboanga-Manila flight would allow sister airline Airphil Express to challenge Cebu Pacific’s dominance of the low-cost travel market in the country.
Airphil Express gained a significant increase in passengers following its launch as a low-cost carrier competing head on with Cebu Pacific.
At present, Airphil Express ranks third among the Philippine-based airline firms with a 19-percent market share.
The airline is currently on fleet acquisition mode to support its planned domestic and international route expansion plan.
Meanwhile, PAL, reputedly Asia’s first airline and the country’s flag carrier, has also stopped its flights to other cities in the country except for Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.
The three cities are classified as premium market for the airlines in the country. (MindaNews)
