Beach-loving Chinese are Philippine Air’s next target

Bloomberg

The sandy shores of the Philippines will soon be within easier reach of Chinese tourists looking for a summer vacation spot.
Philippine Airlines Inc. plans to begin flights this year to secondary cities in China, which may include Nanning, Haikou, Hangzhou and Chengdu, where tourists rent planes to go to the island resorts of Boracay, Palawan and Cebu, President Jaime Bautista said.
The airline, owned by billionaire Lucio Tan, intends to boost the frequency of its Manila-Shanghai route.
Bautista said the company’s purchase of Airbus A321neos has enabled the expanded plan for China, as smaller and more efficient planes allow the airline to cover more destinations without sacrificing capacity.
Philippine Airlines started direct flights from Manila to Brisbane, Australia, and will begin a route to Sapporo, Japan, following the delivery of the first two of six Airbus A321neos this year.
Philippine Airlines will increase the frequency of its Manila-Shanghai flights to 10 times a week from daily starting from July 27.