AirPhil eyes long-haul flights to Kuwait

Low cost carrier Air Philippines Corp. (AirPhil Express) is planning to mount flights to the Middle East, where around three million Filipinos are based. AirPhil Express, the budget airline arm of national flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL), specifically wants to mount flights between Manila and Kuwait three times a week using Airbus A330 aircraft. For this, AirPhil Express is seeking allocation of entitlements to the State of Kuwait from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) in accordance with the existing confidential Memorandum of Understanding entered into last February 2009. President Benigno Aquino III has signed Executive Order 29 authorizing the CAB and the Philippine air panels to pursue more aggressively the international civil aviation liberalization policy. AirPhil Express operates a fleet of Airbus A320s as well as Bombardier Q300s and Bombardier Q400s. Its international destinations include Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. Its major destinations in the country include Bacolod, Busuanga, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Calbayog, Catarman, Caticlan, Clark, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Genaral Santos, Iloilo, Jolo, Kalibo, Laoag, Legazpi, Manila, Masbate, Naga, Ozamiz, Roxas, Puerto Princesa, Surigao, Tacloban, Tawi-tawi, Tuguegarao, and Zamboanga. PAL had earlier announced plans to revive the PAL Express brand through the rebranding of AirPhil Express that would focus on regional and domestic flights. — KBK, GMA News