Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will introduce direct flights between Cebu and Cotabato City starting December 1, 2022.
The PAL service is the latest addition to its expanding network of inter-island flights from the airline’s hub in the ‘Queen City of the South’, in support of the revival of domestic tourism and business activities throughout the Philippines.
“We hope to contribute positively to the economic development of Cotabato City and the Bangsamoro region by launching this new link to progressive Cotabato City,” said PAL Vice President for Sales Bud Britanico. “Philippine Airlines is also gearing up for the December peak holiday season by offering more flights out of Cebu to serve travelers living in the Central Visayas and Southern Mindanao regions. We want to do our part to connect families, encourage healthy business growth and spur holiday travel between these vital regions of the country.”
From December 1, PAL offers twice weekly flights between Cebu and Cotabato:
PR 2223 Cebu-Cotabato – every Monday and Thursday,
– departing at 05:20 AM, arriving in Cotabato’s Awang Airport at 06:35 AM
PR 2224 Cotabato-Cebu – every Monday and Thursday,
– departing at 11:00 AM, arriving in Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 12:15 PM
Travelers can now travel more conveniently between Cotabato City and Boracay, Coron, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Clark, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Siargao and Baguio (from Dec. 16) by connecting through PAL’s Cebu hub, rather than connecting via Manila.
Additionally, travelers will also enjoy a seamless one-stop journey from Cebu to Tawi-Tawi (and vice versa) twice a week, as the Cebu-Cotabato flight is linked to a Cotabato- Tawi-Tawi sector.
A passenger departing Cebu at 5:20 AM every Monday and Thursday will reach Tawi-Tawi’s Sanga-Sanga Airport at 08:30 AM with a brief stop in Cotabato. Passengers may depart from Tawi-Tawi at 09:00 AM on those days and fly to Cebu City via Cotabato, arriving in Cebu at 12:15 PM.
The Cebu-Cotabato flights will be operated with De Havilland Dash 8 Series 400 Next Generation aircraft, an 86-seater high-performance turboprop offering faster speed and jet-like comfort in a quieter cabin.
Travelers may book their PAL flights via www.philippineairlines.com, the PAL mobile app, the PAL hotline at (02) 8855 8888, or via accredited travel agents.
PAL also links Cotabato City with direct flights to Manila and Tawi-Tawi. PAL likewise flies between Cebu and various cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Soon, PAL’s Dash 8 aircraft will link Cotabato City with Cebu. (Photo shows a PAL A320 aircraft in Cotabato City’s Awang Airport.)