Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will re-launch its business class service to Dubai on June 16.

The move is brought about by the increased demand for premium leisure and corporate travel market among locals and expatriates in the region.

The daily business class service will start on June 16 at an introductory rate of Dh2,850 ($775.7), all in, coinciding with the celebration of Philippine Independence Week

Features and benefits include 20.6-inch-wide seat which converts into full-flat bed, access to airport business class lounges, 64-kilo baggage allowance (32kg x 2 pcs), seven kilo hand carry allowance, inflight entertainment, free on board wifi (MyPAL Player, myPAL Mobile and myPAL wifi enabled) and a business travel kit.

PAL will fly its 368-seater, A330 aircraft with 18 seats for business class with a direct aisle access through a 1-2-1 seat layout.

Flights leave Dubai at 5:25 am and arrive in Manila at 6:25pm.

Genaro 'Bong' C. Velasquez, PAL senior assistant vice president and regional manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said: “The UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities and more and more residents are looking at either vacationing or doing business travels in the Philippines. PAL’s re-launch of business class service is in response to the growing international holiday makers and corporate travellers in the Gulf region.”

Velasquez said Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Riyadh, Jeddah and Damman will also have business class flights in the next three months.  

The flag carrier also reported that it is seeing a 50 per cent increase in Dubai-Manila carriage in the second quarter of the year compared to the same period last year. The increase in the passenger load is attributed to PAL’s more aggressive promotion of the airline services as the preferred carrier of choice for expatriates as well as the Philippines as a holiday destination.

International visitors from the Middle East have seen a consistent upward trajectory, growing by 9.6 per cent in 2015 at 83,546 over 2014. Tourist arrivals from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the Philippines’ two largest markets in the region were at 50,884 and 16,881, respectively, according to latest data from the Philippine Department of Tourism.

Velasquez added: “Industry estimates show that outbound travel from the Middle East is growing 9 per cent year-on year, and is slated to reach $165.3 billion by 2025, and Philippines can have a fair share in that pie.”

Another positive indicator that led to the move to re-launch business class flights is President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent trip to GCC during which he was able to secure over $925 million in possible new investments for the Philippines.

“On the basis of this development, we are anticipating a resulting increased of incoming business class traffic from Gulf countries,” Velasquez said.

PAL has been servicing the Middle East for 38 years since 1979 through flights in Bahrain, followed by Dahran, Saudi Arabia. It first flew to Dubai in 1982. PAL flies to 30 domestic and 44 international destinations. - TradeArabia News Service