Philippine Airlines to add 1,500 flights as nation reopens for tourism

Philippine Airlines will add more than 1,500 international and domestic flights this month, the flag carrier says, as the nation begins receiving tourists from abroad again following a decline in COVID-19 cases. Scheduled flights will increase by more than 50%. The airline said it will step up flights serving North America, Southeast Asia, Japan, the Middle East and elsewhere while bolstering domestic service, including connections between Manila and Cebu in the central Philippines, Davao in the south and the resort island of Boracay. Philippine Airlines, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. in September, is looking for a much-needed earnings rebound as international travel restrictions ease. The Philippines loosened its tight travel rules on Feb. 10 for foreign tourists who meet vaccination and other conditions. With the daily tally of new infections in the country declining to several hundred, travel restrictions around Manila and elsewhere were reduced to the lowest of five levels. "We are reasonably optimistic that air travel will rebound in the months ahead, signaling a resurgence for Philippine tourism," said Stanley Ng, who became acting president and COO at the end of January.<br/>