Beginning July 1, Philippine Airlines passengers may choose "distancing seat" option for domestic and international flights as part of its new product offerings.
PAL said the new seat option, which is an addition to its stringent measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, will be available for premium economy class and economy flex fare.
Sections of the aircraft cabin in the premium economy class and economy class areas will be designated for the distancing option. In these sections, an aisle or middle seat, depending on the aircraft type and the number of rows, will be left empty.
"Our economy cabin class will have a mix of regular and distancing seats, while our premium economy class will have purely distancing seats only," PAL said in a FAQ posted on its website. "If you are booked on business class, you can also enjoy ultimate comfort and exclusivity."
PAL said the distancing option does not come with an added fee or travel fee. Instead, it is a new product available for premium economy and economy flex fares.
"Booking a ticket with Philippine Airlines is an assurance that you enjoy peace of mind and the highest standards of safety and security," PAL said. "Most PAL aircraft have roomier seat configuration, offering wider seats, more legroom and more forward space between seat rows, compared to budget carriers & even some full-service airlines."
PAL is also implementing the following protective measures:
All passengers are required to bring their own face masks to use at the airport and throughout the flight. Failure to bring a face mask will mean that you will not be allowed to board your flight. We allow surgical, ear loop, or do-it-yourself masks, as well as other protective shielding (however, if you are traveling to or from Singapore, Xiamen, Macau or Honolulu, only surgical masks are allowed by the concerned local authorities). Infants up to 2 years old are exempted from the face mask requirement.
Passengers are encouraged to bring their own sanitizers and their onboard travel essentials. You may bring hand sanitizers with maximum content of 70 percent alcohol, up to 10 pcs of 100mL as part of carry-on.
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Passengers must ensure that their carry-on bag is within the required specifications: Length of 22 inches / 56cm, Width of 14 inches / 36cm, Height of 9 inches / 23 cm, and Weight of 15 lbs / 7 kilos. On top of the carry-on bag, only two of the following items may be carried inside the cabin: Laptop Computer, Small Bag, Overcoat / Wrap / Blanket, Reasonable amount of reading material/s, Small Camera or Binoculars, Infant Case, Infant Food, and Sealed Duty-Free Bag. For PWDs, the previous items shall be in addition to assistive devices.
Online check-in is encouraged. To ensure ample time for security checks, we urge passengers to arrive early at the airport:
4 hours prior to departure from Manila (International flights)
3 hours prior to departure from Manila (Domestic flights) and other airport
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Point of Booking
All ticket offices will have thermal scanning, managed social distancing, and transparent counter barriers. PAL service personnel will be equipped with face masks and gloves. PAL will implement a no-mask-no-entry policy in our ticket offices.
At the Airport
Social distancing will be implemented while passengers are waiting, on queue, or inside PAL shuttle buses. Passengers can expect thermal scans at entry points, distribution of locator forms that they would need to fill out, sanitizers available at designated areas, and other security checks.