On Wednesday, national flag carrier Philippine Airlines announced the beginning of direct flights between Cebu and Baguio by the end of 2022.
In a press statement, PAL stated that it would begin operating flights between Cebu and Baguio on December 16, 2022. These flights would operate four times per week on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
PAL President and COO Capt. Stanley K. Ng remarked, “This will be PAL’s comeback to the very first destination we served nearly 82 years ago, so we are happy to be flying back to where it all started.”
“At the same time, we’re inaugurating a brand-new service, linking two progressive tourist and business destinations – the Queen City of the South and the City of Pines.”
At 8:50 am, flight 2P-2230 will leave Cebu and arrive in Baguio at 10:50 am. The return flight 2P-2231 will leave Baguio at 11:10 and land in Cebu at 1:00 after a 20-minute turnaround.
Flights to Baguio will be aboard an 86-seat De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 aircraft.
Hints pointed at the resumption of flights to the Summer Capital of the Philippines within the year, as PAL executives and government officials were inspecting the airside and landside facilities of the airport early this month.
Baguio City is home to popular tourist spots – Burnham Park, Camp John Hay, Baguio Cathedral and Mines View Park among many others – and to the Baguio City Economic Zone hosting major multinational firms in the electronics, technology, BPO and clothing industries.
On their end, the Department of Tourism (DOT) lauded the new route as it opens up Baguio to the international market via Cebu as a gateway.
“We at the DOT will continually push for the opening of new local and domestic routes to cater to more tourists in line with our vision to improve connectivity into and around the country. PAL’s new Cebu-Baguio route will certainly provide new opportunities that would propel closer interaction between two of the most prominent tourism destinations in the country. We are excited to showcase the new tourism products and circuits in the Cordilleras – from creative crawls in Baguio to farm and gastronomic experiential tours, crafts and arts shopping, not to mention a glimpse of its diverse culture; this new route will undoubtedly increase arrivals and spur economic activities to the Cordilleras and create demand for investment and employment for our fellow Filipinos,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco.
On March 15, 1941, PAL launched as an airline with Baguio as its initial destination, using Beechcraft Model 18 aircraft. The return of the national carrier to Baguio marks a momentous historical turning point.
“Our direct flight will enable passengers in the central Visayas to enjoy a two-hour journey to Northern Luzon and vice versa, without the hassle of booking multiple connecting trips via both land and air,” said PAL Express Officer-In-Charge Mr. Rabbi Ang.
“We also see this new service as an opportunity to further boost domestic tourism, as Filipinos plan their holiday getaways for the Christmas peak season and for 2023. We assure all travelers that strict safety and health protocols will be observed on all our flights.”
Baguio is now PAL’s 13th domestic destination out of the Cebu hub. PAL will also resume flights from Cebu to Bangkok on December 9, 2022, and Cebu to Nagoya on January 1, 2023.
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