PAL to launch flights within BARMM

MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will launch flights within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) next month.

PAL said it would begin regular flights between Cotabato City and Tawi-Tawi on June 9.

The new service connects BARMM’s mainland areas to its island region, with the Awang airport in Cotabato and Sanga-Sanga airport in Tawi-Tawi as travel gateways.

“We are honored to make history by operating the first flight within the new Bangsamoro region, giving us a new opportunity to serve its 4.9 million people,” PAL president and chief executive officer Stanley Ng said.

PAL said the new flights would reduce travel time compared to traveling via Manila and other domestic gateways that may even entail  an overnight stop.

“We look forward to contributing in our own way to the development of tourism and commerce in the Bangsamoro through regular flights that help promote unity and economic activity in this dynamic region as well in the rest of Mindanao,” Ng said.

PAL said an Airbus A320 aircraft would be deployed on the pioneer route, offering a choice of business class and economy seating on nonstop flights.

The new Cotabato-Tawi-Tawi-Cotabato PAL service will operate twice weekly every Monday and Thursday.

“We in the Bangsamoro government, together with the Mindanao Development Authority and concerned local government units are happy that Philippine Airlines has announced this long-awaited service between Cotabato and Tawi-Tawi in support of the economic and tourism development of BARMM,” the region’s chief minister, Ahod Ebrahim, said.

The flag carrier is currently operating daily flights between Manila and Cotabato City.