Philippine Airlines (PAL) yesterday, August 10, 2021, resumed services to the United Kingdom via a series of special Manila-London flights.
PAL will have twice monthly flights for the remainder of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 2021 Summer season, specifically on August 10 and 24, September 7 and 21, and October 5, 2021.
All flights operate nonstop to and from London’s Heathrow Airport using PAL’s new fleet of Airbus A350-900 aircraft with 30 full-flat seats in business class; 24 seats in a private premium economy cabin, and 241 seats in economy class.
The August 10 flight departed Manila as PR720 at 4:12AM and arrived in London Heathrow at 10:49AM on the same day.
The return PR721 flight left London at 3:05PM for the nonstop flight back to Manila, arrived today, August 11, at 10:53AM.
The succeeding PR720 flights will depart Manila at 6 AM and arrive in Heathrow at 12:50 PM on August 24, September 7 and 21 and October 5.
On the same day, PR721 will depart London at 2:50 PM and arrive in Manila at 11:00 AM on the next day.
The new flights mark the return of the Philippines’ sole nonstop link to Western Europe more than seven months after PAL suspended London flights last December 23 after the IATF imposed severe restrictions on inbound travel from the U.K.
Giving due priority to the essential travel needs for overseas Filipinos, PAL looks forward to travel demand gradually recovering in Europe.
The special flights could pave the way for the flag carrier to restore more regular weekly services to the U.K. capital if demand can be sustained.
The U.K. is home to 200,000 Filipinos and was the top generator of European tourist visitors to the Philippines before the global pandemic, with approximately 209,000 U.K. residents visiting in 2019.
A return to daily or multiple weekly flights depends on the market situation as the pandemic recedes.
While travel restrictions continue to limit international travel to essential trips and the repatriation of overseas Filipinos, PAL has gradually restored flights on various international routes to the Middle East (UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia), North America (United States and Canada), Northeast Asia (Japan and Korea) and various points in Asia (including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur).
PAL also operates special flights to Australia and New Zealand.
All PAL flights are operated in accordance with strict international health and safety protocols, as part of the airline’s commitment to a Fly Safe 'new normal' travel experience.