MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF PAL

February 1941
Philippine Airlines is founded by a group of businessmen led by Andres Soriano, one of the country's leading industrialist.

March 1941
Philippine Airlines starts operations with a single Beech Model 18 aircraft making one flight daily between Manila and Baguio.

September 1941
Government invests in PAL paving the way for the airline's nationalization.

January 1946
PAL president revives operation after the war.

February 1946
PAL resumes operations with services to 15 domestic points. Its fleet consisted of five Douglas DC-3s.

July 1946
A chartered DC-4 ferries 40 American servicemen to California, making PAL the first Asian airline to cross the Pacific.

December 1946
PAL starts regular service between Manila and San Francisco.

May 1947
PAL opens route to Europe with the acquisition of DC-4s.

April 1953
PAL starts services of Convair 340 to Hongkong, Bangkok and Taipei.

June 1962
PAL enters the jet age with the introduction of DC-8 jetliners.

January 1965
Government relinquishes control of PAL. Benigno Toda, Jr., board chairman since 1962, acquires majority stake in the airline.

May 1966
Twin engine BAC1-11 series 400 services Cebu, Bacolod and Davao when Viscounts were sold.

July 1974
PAL advances into the widebody era with the acquisition of its first DC-10.

November 1977
Government reassures control of PAL with Government Service Insurance System holding majority shares.

July 1979
Boeing 727 trijet joins the PAL fleet.

December 1979
PAL’s first super widebody Boeing 747-200 arrives.

December 1979
The Love Bus, PAL’s first Airbus A300-B4, goes into service on a flight to Singapore.

November 1982
PAL commences flights to Paris from Manila and Zurich.

May 1987
PAL president launches a massive modernization of the domestic flight. Domestic fleet welcomes Shorts SD360.

August 1988
PAL acquires Fokker 50.

August 1989
Boeing 737-300 jet becomes part of PAL fleet.

January 1992
Government privatizes PAL. PR Holdings acquires 67% stake.

March 1993
Resolution of a representation issue with PR Holdings results in the election of former Secretary of Agriculture, Carlos G. Dominguez, as PAL president.

November 1993
PAL’s first B747-400, carrying Pres. Fidel V. Ramos home from a state visit to the US, touches down at Subic International Airport.

January 1995
Lucio C. Tan, majority stockholder of PR Holdings became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer replacing Carlos G. Dominguez who remained as board member.

May 1997
PAL’s A340-300 rolls out of Airbus Industrie’s manufacturing facility in Toulouse, France.

October 1999
PAL consolidates its domestic and international operations in one hub for the first time in history, at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Centennial Terminal 2.

May 2000
PAL declares a net income of P44.2 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2000. The result snaps six straight years of massive net losses and produces one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the history of Philippine business.

July 2000
PAL and Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) sign two landmark agreements transferring ownership of PAL’s maintenance and engineering unit to LT, while ensuring that the flag carrier’s long-term maintenance needs remained attended to.

August 2000
PAL introduces its "email booking" facility allowing passengers to request for booking with a 24-hour reply from its Reservations office.

March 2001
PAL reports a profit of P419 million at the end of the second year under Rehabilitation. PAL was able to pump up revenues, ride out expenses and take advantage of efficiencies during a difficult year for the aviation industry. PAL resumes services to Sydney, Busan, Taipei and Jakarta expanding network to 16 points in nine countries.

April 2001
PAL launches its Internet Booking service that allows a passenger to book and pay for a flight online and receive instant confirmation. Philippine Airlines returns to Canada after an absence of three years when it starts a direct service between Manila and Vancouver, British Columbia on April 3, 2001.

July 2001
PAL resumes flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam after a gap of three years.

October 2001
PAL begins its regular operations to three new Asia Pacific destinations - Bangkok, Shanghai and Melbourne as part of its modest network expansion.

May 2002
PAL resumes services to Tagbilaran, Bohol.

June 2002
PAL returns to Guam since it pulled-out from the route in 1993. The addition of this point sweeps the PAL international network to 21 points in 13 countries and territories.