All Systems Set for PAL’s Manila-Phnom Penh Direct Flight

Ambassador to Cambodia Christopher B. Montero (fifth from left) and Philippine Airlines (PAL) President and Chief Operating Officer Jaime J. Bautista (fifth from right), together with Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh and PAL top officials, pose for a photo at the end of the press conference at the Raffles Hotel in Phnom Penh. (Khmer Times /Mai Vireak photo)

PHNOM PENH 18 March 2019 – The country's national flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), is all set to embark on its maiden flight to Cambodia with the launching of its Phnom Penh-Manila direct services starting 02 April 2019. 

Ambassador to Cambodia Christopher B. Montero cited the opening of direct air links between Manila and Phnom Penh as a historic milestone in the bilateral relations of the two countries.

"This new route will not only intensify people-to-people exchanges between the Philippines and Cambodia, it will also facilitate the mobility of business people, and the flow of goods and services between our two capital cities," Ambassador Montero said.       

PAL officials, led by its President and Chief Operating Officer Jaime Bautista, recently visited Cambodia for a series of activities and engagements to unveil the flag carrier's historic flight between the two capital cities.     

The officials expressed hope that with its recent SKYTRAX certification as a Four-Star Global Airline and recognition as the World’s Most Improved Airline for 2019 by AirlineRatings.com, more and more Cambodian outbound tourists will be encouraged to visit Manila and enjoy the city’s major shopping and entertainment attractions, as well as connect to many of the Philippines’ top domestic destinations for beach holidays or eco-tourism adventures.

During their visit, Mr. Bautista and his team paid a courtesy call on Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism Dr. Thong Khon, and held a meeting with top officials of the country's State Secretariat for Civil Aviation (SSCA). On the other hand, SSCA’s Minister in Charge Dr. Mao Havannall personally handed over to Mr. Bautista the landing permit for PAL's inaugural Manila-Phnom Penh flight on 01 April 2019.

"I am highly confident that with the opening of direct flights between our two capital cities, Filipinos and Khmers will interact more with each other, learn more from each other, and grow closer to each other, hand-in-hand with our other ASEAN brothers and sisters in pursuit of our collective effort to build a caring, sharing and connected ASEAN community," Ambassador Montero concluded. END   

Ambassador to Cambodia Christopher B. Montero (second from left), together with Philippine Airlines (PAL) President and Chief Operating Officer Jaime J. Bautista (second from right), PAL’s Vice President for Marketing Ma. Sylvia Carrion-Domingo (first from left), and Vice President for Sales Ryan Uy (first from right) fields questions from the members of the press. (Khmer Times /Mai Vireak photo)

Ambassador to Cambodia Christopher B. Montero (fourth from left) and Philippine Airlines (PAL) President and Chief Operating Officer Jaime J. Bautista (third from left) are joined in a toast by Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism Dr. Thong Khon (sixth from left), Minister in Charge of Civil Aviation Mao Havannall (fifth from left) at the Networking Dinner attended by high government officials of Cambodia as well as travel, business, and media practitioners. (Khmer Times /Mai Vireak photo)

Minister in Charge of Civil Aviation Mao Havannall (left) personally hands over to Philippine Airlines (PAL) President and Chief Operating Officer Jaime J. Bautista (right) the landing permit issued by the Royal Government of Cambodia for PAL's Manila-Phnom Penh direct flights. (Phnom Penh PE photo)

For more information, visit www.phnompenhpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.facebook.com/PHLinCambodia/ or @PhilippineIn on Twitter.