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PAL to boost tourism with Cebu-Osaka comeback

By: Jerry S. Tan

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is returning to the tourist-rich Cebu-Osaka market, with the relaunch of regular nonstop flights between Mactan-Cebu and Osaka Kansai beginning December 22, 2024.

This marks a decisive expansion of the Philippine flag carrier’s network in Japan, the Philippines’ 4th largest source of tourist visitors and home to over 300,000 overseas Filipinos.

The three weekly PAL flights provide direct access to Cebu and the central Philippines for tourists and business travelers from the western regions of Japan. By February 26, 2025, the airline will add an extra weekly frequency to accommodate the growing number of travelers.

PAL President & COO Captain Stanley K. Ng said, “We are delighted to make our comeback in the Cebu-Osaka market, just in time for the Christmas holiday season. Our direct flights from Mactan to Kansai will help us promote the tourism industry and local businesses in Cebu and the Visayas region, and deepen both bilateral relations and cultural ties with our Japanese counterparts. Philippine Airlines looks forward to giving travelers from Western Japan the opportunity to experience the outstanding resorts and heritage experiences that Cebu is famous for, or to reunite with loved ones in the Philippines.”

Known for its rich history, culture, food and vibrant shopping districts, Osaka is the gateway to the old imperial capital of Kyoto as well as to Nara, Kobe and other popular districts around the Kansai Bay area. Osaka City is also home to the fabled Osaka Castle, the Dotonbori shopping and dining haven, and Universal Studios Japan.

PAL spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna meantime said that travelers from Osaka may connect seamlessly in Cebu with PAL’s flights to various domestic points, including Bacolod, Borongan, Busuanga (Coron), Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caticlan (Boracay), Clark, Cotabato, Davao, General Santos, Iloilo, Legazpi, Ozamiz, Puerto Princesa, Siargao, Tacloban and Zamboanga. Cebu is also a favored choice for both leisure and English as a Second Language (ESL) destination by Japanese travelers.

Vilalluna said PAL is deploying a 199-seater Airbus A321 CEO for the Cebu-Osaka service. The resumption of Cebu-Osaka services complements PAL’s twice daily flights between Manila and Osaka Kansai and daily flights between Cebu and Tokyo Narita.

Altogether, PAL offers the largest network of flights on multiple routes linking the Philippines and Japan, with nonstop services to Osaka Kansai, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita. PAL also offers other international links from Cebu, with daily flights to Seoul (Incheon) and thrice weekly flights to Bangkok, she added.

For flight reservations and other inquiries, travelers may contact the PAL Hotline at (+632) 8855-8888, visit the PAL mobile app, the PAL website at www.philippineairlines.com, or reach out to their preferred travel agents.

Starting December 22, the Cebu-Osaka (Kansai)-Cebu route will operate three times weekly:

PR 410 Cebu-Osaka – every Monday, Thursday and Sunday, departing Mactan-Cebu at 11:45 AM, arriving in Osaka Kansai at 05:00 PM

PR 409 Osaka-Cebu – every Monday, Thursday and Sunday, departing Osaka Kansai at 06:00 PM, arriving in Mactan-Cebu at 09:40 PM

PAL will offer one additional weekly Cebu-Osaka-Cebu service from February 26th, 2025, increasing frequency to four times weekly. Full schedule below:

PR 410 Cebu-Osaka – every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, departing Mactan-Cebu at 11:45 AM, arriving in Osaka Kansai at 05:00 PM

PR 409 Osaka-Cebu – every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, departing Osaka Kansai at 06:00 PM, arriving in Mactan-Cebu at 09:40 PM

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