Philippine Airlines (PAL) started its pioneer service between Cotabato City and Tawi-Tawi today, Thursday, June 9, the first-ever air links within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The new route, which provides direct air connectivity between the two areas within the BARMM, operates every Monday and Thursday using the Airbus A320.
PAL offers a choice of Business Class and Economy seating on the nonstop flights across the Sulu Sea.
Before, travelers from Cotabato have to take a flight to Manila and connect to Zamboanga and from there, take a flight or boat ride to Tawi Tawi.
PR 2487 Cotabato to Tawi-Tawi departs every Monday and Thursday at 7:30 AM.
PR 2488 Tawi-Tawi to Cotabato departs every Monday and Thursday at 9:40 AM.

The new service connects BARMM’s mainland areas to its island region, with Cotabato’s Awang Airport and Tawi-Tawi’s Sanga-Sanga airport as travel gateways.
By taking PAL’s non-stop flights, travelers will save several hours, versus the previous choice of traveling via Manila or other domestic gateways outside BARMM that entail a connection between flights or even an overnight stop.
“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’s President & COO, Captain Stanley K. Ng, stated earlier.
“We look forward to contributing, in our own way, to the development of tourism and commerce in Bangsamoro through regular flights that help promote unity and economic activity in this dynamic region as well for the rest of Mindanao.”
PAL also operates regular daily flights between Manila and Cotabato City.
The flag carrier is in the middle of expanding flight services to, from and within Mindanao, as befits the island’s status as a prime economic center of the Philippines.