In response to escalating travel demand, Philippine Airlines (PAL) is set to enhance its Manila-Toronto route by introducing a third weekly nonstop flight effective 05 April 2024. The strategic move, resulting in a remarkable 50% surge in capacity, is part of PAL’s long-term commitment to fostering business and tourist travel between Canada and the Philippines, specifically addressing the burgeoning demand in the Canadian East Coast region.
By offering three weekly frequencies for the Manila-Toronto route, PAL aims to provide passengers with increased flexibility in structuring their travel plans. The Manila-Toronto-Manila routes will follow the following schedule from 05 April 2024 onwards:
PR118 Manila – Toronto (Wed / Fri / Sun)
Departs Manila: 1635H
Arrives in Toronto: 2000H (same day)
PR119 Toronto – Manila (Wed / Fri / Sun)
Departs Toronto: 2330H
Arrives in Manila: 0345H (+2 days)
PAL’s current twice-weekly service departs every Wednesday and Sunday from Manila and Toronto.
Emphasizing the significance of Toronto in PAL’s global network, the city serves as Canada’s largest and hosts the largest Filipino community in the country, estimated at over 350,000 ethnic Filipinos in Ontario province alone. Toronto is not only a gateway to Ontario and Quebec but also to the Maritimes and other regions along the Eastern seaboard of Canada.
“Our expansion of flights to Toronto highlights the importance of the Canadian market in the Philippine Airlines network. We want to make it easier for businesses to establish commercial relations, for Canadians to plan holiday trips to the Philippines, and for Filipino Canadians to visit their families back in the homeland. Canada is among the top ten sources of foreign tourists to the Philippines, with more than 180,000 Canadians visiting the Philippines during the first ten months of 2023. Additionally, the new frequencies will bolster connectivity between Southeast Asia and Canada via PAL’s Manila hub,” according to Eric David Anderson, Chief Commercial Officer of Philippine Airlines.
PAL holds the distinction of being the sole airline providing nonstop flights between the Philippines and Canada. In addition to Toronto, PAL also operates daily flights to Vancouver from its Manila hub. Other Canadian destinations, including Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Calgary, are serviced through PAL’s codeshare partner, WestJet.
The Toronto services are executed with the state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900, boasting a long-range capability and accommodating 295 passengers across a tri-class layout: 30 in Business Class, 24 in Premium Economy, and 241 in Economy.
“The additional flight comes at a most auspicious time. This will allow more opportunities for the over one million Filipino Canadians to visit home in a convenient manner. At the same time, this will also serve the growing number of Filipino international students coming to Canada, as well as the Filipino tourists who benefit from Canada’s electronic travel authorization. We congratulate Philippine Airlines for continuing to build more bridges between the Philippines and Canada,” said Maria Andrelita Austria, Philippine Ambassador to Canada.
The early morning arrivals in Manila seamlessly connect passengers to PAL’s extensive network in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, North Asia, and China. This expansion comes at a time when Canada has included the Philippines in its electronic travel authorization (eTA) program. This program allows Philippine passport holders to travel to Canada visa-free, provided they hold a valid U.S. Visa or have been issued a Canadian tourist visa in the last 10 years. As Canada opens its borders to more immigrants, workers, and students, the Filipino community in Toronto and Vancouver continues to grow steadily.