SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Philippine Airlines (PAL), the lone airline carrier flying from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to Antique Airport, will increase the frequency of its flight from one to three times a week starting March 27, 2022.
“I am happy with the PAL manager (Ricky Dela Cruz) informing me of the additional flights,” said Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao in an interview on Wednesday.
Cadiao said the additional flights will surely become an economic stimulus for the province because tourists and other people from Metro Manila could now easily travel to Antique and vice versa.
Having an airline that will serve the province is also a long-time dream of the governor and her province mates.
PAL’s turbo propeller will fly to Antique every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday morning.
Cadiao is urging Antiqueños to patronize the airline when flying to their home province even as she said that the increased flight is due to the good load PAL is getting from passengers going to the province.
“The PAL passenger capacity is 80 persons per flight but then it is getting 60 or even more passengers,” she said.
PAL launched its maiden flight to Antique on December 16, 2018 and is the only airline company that has accepted the invitation of the provincial government to operate in the province.
The airline company was instrumental in the reopening of the airport to commercial flights after the last airline Asian Spirit stopped its operation about 14 years ago.
Before the operations of PAL, many passengers from the province going to Metro Manila opted to take the roll-on-roll-off (Ro-ro) facility in the neighboring province of Aklan, which offered a cheaper fare rate. (PNA)