On Sunday, the flag carrier of the Philippines, Philippine Airlines (PAL), announced that it has entered into an interline partnership with Emirates. The partnership will enable passengers of both airlines to connect to each other’s networks through Manila and Dubai. This agreement will enable passengers to access new points on each other’s networks with a single ticket and one baggage policy.
Emirates passengers can now access 19 domestic destinations operated by Philippine Airlines, including Cebu, Cotabato, Davao, Kalibo, and other regional points via Manila. Meanwhile, Philippine Airlines’ passengers will have access to Emirates’ network and can connect to 21 cities beyond Dubai, including London, Rome, Frankfurt, Barcelona, and Paris, as well as other destinations in the Middle East, Africa, and India, such as Kuwait, Jeddah, and Casablanca.
Emirates has been flying to Manila since 1990 and has since expanded its network to include Cebu and Clark. It currently serves the Philippines with 25 weekly flights to its three gateways in the country. Emirates’ chief commercial officer, Adnan Kazim, said that the Philippines is one of their strongest consumer markets, and they are delighted to sign a new interline agreement with the country’s flag carrier. The partnership with Philippine Airlines will help open new links for trade and tourism that will drive more inbound traffic into the market and expand Emirates’ footprint in East Asia.
Emirates operates its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to the Philippines in a mix of three-class and two-class configuration on flights to Manila, Cebu, and Clark. With this partnership, Emirates has now taken its interline partners up to 120 carriers, and it also has 27 codeshare partners. The airline plans to expand its cooperation with additional points via Cebu in the coming months.