Some of the biggest United States (US)-based air carriers have indicated no objection to Lucio Tan-led flag carrier Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) proposed expanded connectivity to key US gateways through a codeshare agreement with Alaska Airlines.

In a May 6 regulatory filing seen by Manila Bulletin, Seattle-based Alaska Airlines Inc. informed the US Department of Transportation (DOT) that its joint request with Philippine Airlines Inc. had received support from the US aviation industry.

The document showed that Alaska Airlines polled the industry’s so-called big three carriers—American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines—which all conveyed no objection to the expanded agreement.

Alaska Airlines said it received the same response from major cargo and other US airlines, including ABX Air/Air Transport International, Atlas Air/Polar, Federal Express (FedEx), JetBlue Airways, Kalitta Air, UPS, Sky Lease, National, Eastern, and Amerijet.

Last month, PAL and Alaska Airlines sought regulatory approval from the US DOT to broaden their commercial partnership, allowing them to market and sell seats on each other’s flights across a wider network.

The proposed arrangement would allow Alaska Airlines to place its “AS” code on PAL-operated flights between the Philippines and the US, as well as on routes beyond the Philippines.

In turn, PAL would be permitted to place its “PR” code on Alaska Airlines-operated domestic US flights, enabling passengers to book seamless itineraries under a single ticket.

The deal would allow travelers to book PAL flights from Manila to US gateways and connect onward to multiple US cities, while Alaska Airlines customers could access Philippine destinations through PAL’s network.

The joint applicants are also seeking exemptions to operate these codeshare services to the fullest extent allowed under the 1995 US-Philippines Air Transport Agreement, which governs air traffic rights between the two countries.

The agreement allows Philippine carriers to serve additional US destinations beyond their designated gateways, provided these are operated via stopovers or through codeshare arrangements.

The filing emphasized that the proposed partnership is consistent with bilateral aviation agreements, including provisions under the 1980 Air Service Agreement and its subsequent protocols.

The application also reflects changes in the US aviation landscape following Alaska Air Group’s 2024 acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines Inc.’s parent company, which resulted in certain operational rights and network arrangements being transferred to Alaska Airlines last year.

Hawaiian Airlines had initially been authorized to use the PR code for codesharing purposes.

PAL currently holds multiple exemptions allowing it to serve US destinations beyond its primary gateways, including Hilo, Kahului, Kona, and Lihue in Hawaii, as well as Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, New Orleans, Orlando, and Washington, DC.

The expanded codeshare is expected to enhance access to Hawaii routes—a key leisure market—by integrating Alaska Airlines’ strong domestic US network with PAL’s transpacific services.

The annexes outlined proposed codeshare routes linking PAL’s transpacific services from Manila to mainland US gateways, connecting into Alaska Airlines’ domestic US and Hawaii network, including Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, and Honolulu, as well as select Northeast Asian points such as Japan and South Korea.

Philippine domestic points include Laoag City in Ilocos Norte province feeding into Manila as the primary hub for onward international connections.

Cebu serves as a secondary hub for northern Asian routes, including Tokyo, Osaka, and Seoul.

The carriers said they intend to begin marketing the expanded codeshare services once all necessary government approvals are secured.