Da Nang (VNA) - Philippine Airlines on July 1 officially inaugurated its direct flight route connecting 𒐪Manila and Da Nang, with its first flight carrying 193 passengers landing at Da Nang Internatio🔯nal Airport at 12:45 pm.

The new service operates three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, using Airbus A321 aircraft with 199 seats, including 12 in business class. The frequency is expected to increase to four flights per week from this November. A welcome ceremony was held at the international arrival terminal, featuring a water cannon salute, traditional music performances, ribbon-cutting, and souvenir gifts for arriving passengers. At the departure terminal, a send-off event with gifts was organised for passengers flying from Da Nang to Manila on Flight PR586. Speaking at the event, Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the launch coincided with the city’s newly expanded tourism space and services. The new route brings the total number of weekly Manila–Da Nang flights to 12, helping boost tourism and connectivity between the two cities. Richard Nuttall, President of Philippine Airlines, expressed his delight at the launch and highlighted the route’s potential to offer seamless travel for passengers from central Vietnam to Manila and onward to the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan. In 2024, over 65,000 Philippine tourists visited Da Nang. In the first five months of 2025 alone, the central city welcomed more than 49,000 Philippine visitors, up 2.26 times year-on-year. Philippine Airlines operates scheduled direct flights from hubs in Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Davao to 31 domestic and 38 international destinations across Asia, North America, Australia, and the Middle East. The carrier now runs 24 direct weekly flights from Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi to the Philippines./.