Philippine Airlines (PAL) will begin operating daily nonstop flights between Manila and Doha on June 16 through a codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways, offering greater convenience to more than 200,000 overseas Filipino workers based in Qatar.
The collaboration aims to strengthen connections not just between two major cities, but also between two communities. “This strategic cooperation also aims to deepen the socio-economic ties between the Qatari and Filipino communities,” said Thierry Antinori, chief commercial officer of Qatar Airways, in an Inquirer.net report.
Antinori added, “We are proud of the new codeshare flights and look forward to delivering increased benefits to global travelers.”
The route will be served using PAL’s Airbus A330-300 aircraft, offering 18 flat-bed seats in business class and 341 seats in economy class. Beyond Doha, passengers will also gain access to over 170 international destinations through Qatar Airways’ expansive global network.
“As PAL expands its presence across the globe, we are delighted to forge new alliances that build new connections and give our business and leisure passengers more flexibility and seamless access in flying to their desired destinations,” said Stanley Ng, president and chief operating officer of PAL.
The partnership is also expected to drive long-term efforts in promoting more international routes and boosting regional connectivity.
Meanwhile, PAL continues to ramp up its operations. It recently announced a new Manila-Da Nang route starting July 1, set to fly three times weekly. The carrier is also increasing domestic flight frequencies from its Cebu hub by 10 percent, offering 287 weekly round-trip flights this month, with added focus on key destinations such as Siargao, Caticlan, Puerto Princesa, Coron, Tacloban, and Davao.
By May 1, PAL will also begin daily services from Clark to Siargao and Basco.
The airline carried 15.6 million passengers in 2024, a 6-percent increase from the previous year, with more than 110,000 flights operated—a 5-percent growth in volume.
