PAL seen breaching 10-million passenger mark this year

MANILA, Philippines - From a full load of five passengers on its maiden flight to Baguio back in 1941, Philippine Airlines (PAL) today has carried more than 300 million passengers over the last seven decades – a feat unequalled by any other local carrier.

From the few brave Filipinos who ventured trying the then novel mode of air transport, today’s regular air travelers – overseas Filipino workers, vacationing families, tourists and businessmen – still prefer flying PAL, if not for the flag carrier’s modern fleet of airplanes but especially for the warm and distinctively Filipino cabin service.

With the number of passengers projected to increase by 12 percent, PAL expects to breach the 10-million-passenger mark by end of 2012. Passenger load factor is likewise expected to improve to about 80 percent for 2012.

With such bright prospects, the airline recently unveiled a new marketing tact that aims to make passengers fall in love with PAL all over again.

“Love, Your PAL” is meant to show PAL’s gratitude to its 300 million passengers as well as an invitation for other air travelers, particularly foreigners, to renew ties with the national flag carrier which has embodied the best that the Philippines can offer to the world.

“Love, Your PAL” will be PAL’s signature for all domestic and outbound communications, providing the emotional message to make Filipinos fall in love with PAL again. The campaign was launched during PAL’s 71st founding anniversary last month.

For the past 70 years, PAL has been the biggest carrier for inbound tourists. Through the new marketing campaign, PAL wants foreign travelers/visitors to fly only the flag carrier because PAL is the showcase of the Philippines.

The airline is the only Philippine-based carrier that flies regularly to North America, Australia and India and offers the most convenient schedules for major regional destinations such as Japan, China, Korea and Southeast Asia.

PAL has flown over 300 million passengers safely and comfortably in all routes, and hopes to excite the market with new programs that will strengthen loyalty of its passengers.

As opening salvo of the “Love, Your PAL” marketing campaign, an anniversary sales promo offered big discounts on the purchase of second tickets to selected destinations.

Forthcoming are PAL’s involvement in the Philippine premier of the Broadway musical Phantom of the Opera as well as in the Hollywood commercial screening of the first Filipino full-length film, The Road by GMA Films.

At the PAL anniversary, six of the airline’s best flight stewardesses who epitomize the unique beauty and charm of the Filipina – called the PAL Charisma Girls – were introduced. The Charisma Girls, showing the distinct character of PAL, is a take off from the highly successful 1986 PAL advertising campaign that showcased the “Beauty of the Philippines Shining Through”.