The Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Qatar Airways have entered into a strategic partnership that will enhance connectivity between the Philippines and Qatar, with broader implications for global travel, trade, and diaspora links. The alliance, announced Thursday, will see the launch of daily nonstop flights between Manila and Doha starting 16 June 2025, operated by PAL.
Qatar Airways will codeshare on all seven weekly flights in the first phase of this cooperation, significantly improving passenger options for onward travel across the vast Qatar Airways network, which spans over 170 destinations worldwide.
“As Philippine Airlines expands its presence across the globe, we are delighted to forge new alliances that build new connections and give our business and leisure passengers more flexibility and seamless access in flying to their desired destinations,” said PAL president and COO Captain Stanley K. Ng.
He emphasized the broader implications of the partnership: “Our decision to offer daily frequency to Doha is enabled by our exciting strategic partnership with Qatar Airways and will help us stimulate tourism, trade flows, and business growth… Our vital Overseas Filipino Workers and their families will also greatly benefit from this new partnership.”
The new Manila–Doha service will depart daily from Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 18:50, arriving in Doha at 23:40. The return flight leaves Doha at 01:30, landing in Manila at 16:15. These schedules offer seamless connectivity to Qatar Airways’ extensive route map across Africa, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East, via Hamad International Airport, recently named the World’s Best Airport in the Middle East by Skytrax.
Qatar Airways chief commercial officer Thierry Antinori highlighted the strategic value of the codeshare: “At Qatar Airways, we continue to explore opportunities that strengthen our connectivity across the world… This strategic cooperation also aims to deepen the socio-economic ties between the Qatari and Filipino communities.”
The partnership will also explore long-term collaboration opportunities, including network expansion and frequent flyer program alignment.
Flights will be operated using PAL’s Airbus A330-300 aircraft, configured with 18 flat-bed Business Class seats and 341 Economy Class seats, offering a balance of comfort and capacity for the long-haul route.
This alliance marks a significant step in deepening aviation ties between the Philippines and the Middle East and underscores the vital role of air connectivity in supporting global mobility, trade, and diaspora engagement.
