Philippine Airlines To Introduce Cotabato City-Tawi-Tawi Flights June 2022

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National flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will start operating regular jet services between Cotabato City and Tawi-Tawi this month, the first-ever direct flights between areas within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The new service links the BARMM mainland to the island region, with Awang Airport in Cotabato and Sanga-Sanga Airport in Tawi-Tawi as the origin and destination points and vice versa.

Philippine Airlines to Introduce Cotabato City-Tawi-Tawi Flights Starting June 2022 — Mount Bongao (Bud Bongao) in the province of Tawi-Tawi. (Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Starting June 9, 2022, the new Cotabato – Tawi-Tawi – Cotabato PAL service will operate twice weekly, with convenient morning departures on Monday and Thursday.

These are the scheduled flights between the two BARRM areas:

Philippine Airlines Flight PR 2487 flying from Cotabato to Tawi-Tawi: every Monday and Thursday departing at 7:30 AM
Philippine Airlines Flight PR 2488 flying from Tawi-Tawi to Cotabato: every Monday and Thursday departing at 9:40 AM

The airline will utilize Airbus A320 aircraft on this first route, with Premium Economy and Basic Economy seating available on nonstop flights across the Sulu Sea.

With PAL’s non-stop flights, passengers will save time by not having to make connections or stop overnight. Before passengers had to go via Manila or other domestic airports outside BARMM like Zamboanga City in order to fly between the two points.

“We are proud to be the first airline in history to operate a flight within the new Bangsamoro region, allowing us to serve its 4.9 million people,” said PAL’s President and COO, Captain Stanley K. Ng.

“We look forward to assisting in the growth of tourism and trade in Bangsamoro as well as throughout Mindanao through regular flights that contribute to the promotion of unity and economic activity,” Captain Ng added.

“We in the Bangsamoro government, with the Mindanao Development Authority and concerned local government units, are glad to hear that Philippine Airlines has announced this long-awaited route between Cotabato and Tawi-Tawi in support of BARMM’s economic and tourism development,” said BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim.

Currently, Philippine Airlines operates regular daily flights between Manila and Cotabato City, Manila, and Zamboanga City, and Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi.

Philippine Airlines is in the process of increasing flight services to, from, and within Mindanao, as it reflects the island’s position as a major economic focus of the country.