PAL to reduce flights between Manila, mainland China by “more than 50 percent”

(Eagle News) — Philippine Airlines will reduce its flights between Manila and mainland China by “more than 50 percent.”

PAL announced this in a statement, after the Philippines confirmed its first novel coronavirus case, which was first identified in Wuhan in Hubei province, China.

According to PAL, the reductions, which will start on Feb. 1, are in addition to the recent cancellation of all its chartered flights from China.

“There is a need to maintain a number of our flights on the various Manila-China routes, so that we can serve the urgent travel needs of our passengers, including many Chinese nationals returning to the mainland following their Lunar New Year holidays, and Filipinos who are returning home from their stays in China,” PAL said.

According to PAL, the reductions will, nonetheless, be “based on our daily assessment of the situation and subject to guidelines and instructions from the DOH/BOQ and concerned government authorities.”

“We will post the list of cancelled flights accordingly,” PAL said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a temporary ban on travelers from Hubei to the Philippines.

The Department of Health has said it would recommend an expansion of the travel ban coverage to other China provinces as information as to the number of 2019-nCoV cases arrives.