MANILA, 2 December 2025: Philippine Airlines has resumed seasonal direct flights between Manila and Sapporo until 27 March  2026, which will boost travel to Sapporo, the capital city in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.

Seasonal schedule

Sapporo entices travellers with its rich culinary scene, from signature Sapporo ramen and soup curry to fresh seafood. Known as the Winter Capital, it is recognised for a host of activities beyond its iconic snow festival.

“By re-launching this seasonal route, we are opening a gateway for travellers to experience Philippine Airlines’ world-class service and signature heartfelt hospitality while supporting demand for flights between the two destinations,” said PAL President Richard Nuttall. “The returning service expands PAL’s presence in Japan, boosting connections across the Japan region,” he added.

The route from Sapporo to Manila opens the door for Japanese travellers to explore and experience the Philippines’ culture and warm hospitality.

The direct flights to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport are scheduled every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday using the airline’s Airbus A321neo aircraft. The 168-seat Airbus A321neo features 12 seats in business class and 156 in economy, with extensive in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi connectivity.

PAL offers the largest network of destination points and routes between the Philippines and Japan – with nonstop services to Osaka Kansai, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita, including direct flights from Cebu to both Osaka Kansai and Tokyo Narita.

(Source: PAL).

BANGKOK, 2 December 2025: Asian airlines have completed or are very close to finishing the mandatory software upgrade on their A320 fleets, to comply with a recent urgent Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the Airbus A320 family aircraft. 

The update was required to address a potential software vulnerability in the Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC) system and was detailed in an Airbus update on A320 Family precautionary fleet action released on 28 November 2025

The Airbus statement: “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.

“Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in service which may be impacted. Airbus has worked proactively with aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) to implement available software and/or hardware protection and ensure the fleet is safe to fly. 

“The AOT was reflected in an Emergency Airworthiness Directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority.”

Asian Airlines that completed or nearly completed the A320 software update:

(Source: Airbus and TTRW)

MANILA, 2 December 2025: Australia’s low-cost airline Jetstar launched direct flights from Perth to Manila last week as part of a significant expansion of its West Australian operations.  

Jetstar is flying the new route three times a week with its 232-seat Airbus A321LR aircraft, delivering more than 72,000 seats annually.  

This new service will provide more choice for West Australian holidaymakers and a direct flight home for Perth’s large Filipino community, while bringing more tourists into WA to support the visitor economy. Jetstar currently posts a one-way fare of AUD229 on its website for the Perth-Manila service.  

Jetstar now operates five routes between Western Australia’s capital city, Perth, and destinations in Southeast Asia. Manila joins Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket and Bali (Denpasar) on the airline’s departures board. Jetstar also flies to six domestic destinations from Perth and is the only carrier offering direct flights between Sydney, Melbourne and Busselton-Margaret River Airport.  

Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully said the inaugural Perth to Manila flight marks a new chapter for Jetstar’s WA operations. “This is the first time Jetstar has ever flown between Perth and the Philippines. Manila will be popular with West Australian holidaymakers for its excellent-value shopping, tasty food scene, and rich history and cultural experiences. This is Jetstar’s fifth route from Perth to Asia and is part of a longer-term plan to grow our operations in the west, allowing customers to take off more for less.” 

Commenting on the new service, the Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco noted Australia ranks as the fifth-highest source market for the country with 299,286 passenger arrivals in 2024.
“This flight represents more than just travel; it symbolises our commitment to offer opportunities for tourism and business, making it easier for travellers to fly to Manila and further connecting the Philippines to the world,” she said.

The low-cost airline will operate the Perth-Manila route three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The flight time between the two cities is six hours and 35 minutes.

Flight schedule

(Source: Jetstar)