The country’s major airlines operating from Ninoy Aquino International Airport are resuming flights and increasing flight frequencies to various international destinations this August.
National flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said in an advisory that it would fly to Vancouver twice a week starting Aug. 1; Honolulu, once a week, beginning Aug. 6; and London, once a week, starting Aug. 5.
Starting Aug. 3, PAL will also mount three flights a week to Singapore starting Aug. 3 and four times a week starting Aug. 17.
The airline will fly to Jakarta on Aug. 9 and 23, and Bangkok on Aug. 5, 15, and 29.
PAL said it would also mount flights to Sydney on Aug. 14 and 28, and to Port Moresby on Aug. 27.
In the Middle East, PAL will fly twice a week to Dubai starting Aug. 4 and Dammam, Saudi Arabia, starting Aug. 3; and once a week to Doha, Qatar, starting Aug. 6.
Dubai-bound passengers are, however, advised to obtain a COVID-19 negative certificate no more than 96 hours before departure.
Budget airline Cebu Pacific Air (Cebupac) said it would fly twice weekly to Tokyo to Narita beginning Aug. 1; to Singapore starting Aug. 6, and to Taipei starting Aug. 7.
“We are taking a conservative and agile approach to rebuilding our international network,” Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and customer experience, said.
AirAsia Philippines said it would mount a one-way flight from Bangkok on Aug. 3 and a round trip flight between Manila and Kuala Lumpur the following day.
The government has also continued to ease restrictions on inbound travel, particularly the entry of foreign nationals.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has allowed the entry of foreign spouses, minor children including children with special needs of Filipino nationals, and foreign parents of minor Filipino nationals provided they have appropriate visas.
Two weeks ago, the IATF only allowed foreign nationals with long-term visas to enter the Philippines starting Aug. 1.
“Beginning August 1, 2020, foreign nationals with long-term visas shall be allowed entry in the Philippines, while maintaining the priority of returning overseas Filipinos,” the IATF said.
The Department of Tourism is pulling out all the stops to ensure that health and safety measures are in place in the country’s tourist destinations.