PAL projects 10-20% passenger growth this year

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is forecasting a passenger volume growth of 10% to 20% for the current year, aiming to reach pre-pandemic levels.

This anticipated growth translates to a total passenger volume of 17.16 million to 18.72 million, an increase from 15.6 million passengers served in 2024.

PAL's President and COO, Stanley K. Ng, attributed this optimistic outlook to the return of grounded aircraft to service, increasing their operational fleet.

Further fleet expansion includes future additions of nine Airbus A350-1000 long-range aircraft and 13 A321neo regional aircraft.

The airline is considering launching a direct flight to Sapporo and is also mounting weekly flights between Cebu and Ho Chi Minh City starting in May.

To stimulate growth, PAL has introduced new routes and expanded existing services, including nonstop Da Nang-Manila flights starting in July and daily services for its Manila-Hanoi route.