PAL changes Manila-London route to avoid Ukraine airspace

Published July 24, 2014 7:39pm

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has switched routes for its Manila-London flights in favor of the "no-conflict zone" Siberian region after a Malaysian passenger jet was shot down over the Ukraine-Russia border last week.

In an e-mailed statement Thursday, PAL said it now flies over the Eurasian region of Siberia, which does not go through conflict zone airspace.

Last week, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile supposedly fired by pro-Russian rebels.

The new route is the quickest option between Manila and London, PAL said, allowing the airline "to save on fuel consumption while offering a much better product to its passengers."

Siberia makes up nearly all of Northern Asia, and while it covers 77 percent of Russia’s territory, the preferred airspace is nowhere near conflict and no-fly zones.

The new route shortens the Manila-to-London travel time by 2 hours and 30 minutes to 13 hours and the return flight by 1 hour and 30 minutes to 12 hours.

PAL's recently discarded route flew over Southeast Asia, the Indian continent, Turkey, Middle East and Europe.

Earlier, PAL allayed fears of passengers after the tragic shooting of MH17 over Ukraine, saying the airline follows regulations covering flight paths and complies with all safety advisories on flight routes as well as restricted or conflict areas.

Filipino Irene Gunawan, her two children and Indonesian husband were among the 298 passengers and crew who died when their plane was attacked while on a scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17.

The plane was allegedly shot down by rebels in the border of Ukraine and Russia last week.

“Our embassy learned that the sister in the Netherlands and her daughter already provided their DNA samples to Dutch authorities. The dental records of the Gunawan couple have also been obtained. The corresponding record of the children are being obtained,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose told a press briefing.

The Philippine embassy in The Hague, he added, also received a note from the Dutch Foreign Ministry, informing them that a Dutch disaster victim identification team would be contacting counterparts in the Philippines.

Netherlands has declared July 23 as a national day of mourning. – Danessa O. Rivera/VS/NB, GMA News

Tags: philippineairlines, palmnllonflight, mh17