Philippine Airlines (PAL) has announced that it will be suspending all international flights from March 26 until April 14, 2020.
In a statement released on social media, the country’s flagship airline said that it can no longer sustain even a limited number of international flights due to COVID-19’s impact on the travel industry. The company cited foreign travel restrictions, collapse in demand, and manpower issues as some of the reasons which led to its decision.
The last PAL flight out of the Philippines prior to the suspension will be PR 104 bound for San Francisco on March 25. PAL personnel, though, will remain available for special flights for stranded passengers and vital cargo flights.
The airline also clarified that several of its flights remain scheduled to continue despite the suspension. This includes arrivals from Los Angeles, Tokyo Narita and Jakarta on March 26, and arrivals from New York JFK, San Francisco and Los Angeles on March 27.
PAL hopes to resume operations beginning on April 15, 2020, “if warranted by Philippine and international authorities, global public health conditions and the travel environment.” It added that it will begin focusing on the recovery and needs of its employees and maintaining its fleet in anticipation of flights following the suspension.
“We understand that this pause in operations will be an inconvenience, and we hope for your understanding as we at PAL look to the safety of our colleagues and our families as we all face this global contagion,” PAL’s statement reads. You can check it out in full below:
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