All plans are being firmed up, Joey G. De Guzman, PAL’s senior vice-president for corporate communications, said in a text message yesterday, declining to give specific updates on negotiation with Indonesian aviation authorities.The target is at the end of March, Mr. De Guzman said.The new route will allow us to make use of our planes since the Bali flight is planned to be at night,he added. It will also allow visitors to the Philippines an additional destination which is just three-and-a-half hours away.

According to filings submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission last Friday, PAL said it posted $33.5 million losses for October to December 2011, a period when the carrier cut down on flights as it transitioned from laying off some 3,000 grand crew to using outsourced services instead.This is a reversal from $15.1 million profits recorded in the same period the year previous.The flag carrier said total revenues dropped by 3.8% to $386 million for the third quarter of 2011.

PAL experienced weak passenger demand as well as declining cargo markets as the world economy struggled to recover, it said.Total operating expenses went up by 9% to $419.5 million, according to PAL.As the airline goes through its last quarter of fiscal year 2011-2012, it continues to seek ways of enhancing revenues and lowering costs, PAL said.In a related development, PAL’s affiliate Air Philippines Corp., the operator of budget carrier Airphil Express, said is plans to launch flights to Malaysia and Vietnam in the second quarter and also start operating international flights out of Clark, Pampanga.
We are working on Vietnam and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is out of Manila,Alfredo A. Herrera, Airphil Express’ senior vice-president for sales and marketing said in a telephone interview late last week.The carrier, he added, will be launching its first flight to Cebu out of Clark on March 29.From there, although it is not yet final, we will launch international flights like Hong Kong and Singapore out of Clark,” Mr. Herrera said. “It will probably be in April or May.”