4-Star carrier Philippine Airlines will begin operating the Manila-Sapporo route starting September 10, 2018 amidst growing clamor for a service to the popular Japanese destination. Sapporo, capital of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, is known for its skiing and annual Sapporo Snow Festival featuring enormous ice sculptures. The six hour thrice weekly non-stop service (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays via the brand new A321neo) starting September will bring to five the total number of PAL destinations in Japan.

From Manila, PAL currently flies to Fukuoka, Haikou, Nagoya, Osaka (Kansai), and Tokyo (via Narita and Haneda); from Cebu, PAL operates flights to Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo. There are also daily PAL flights between Taipei and Osaka. All these services translate to a total of 89 weekly PAL flights between the Philippines and Japan making PAL the only Philippine carrier with the largest route network in Japan from its two main hubs in Manila and Cebu.

Just recently, the PAL President, together with PAL Marketing VP Ria Carrion Domingo, PAL CorpComms VP Josen Perez de Tagle, PAL Chief Financial Adviser Ian Reid, PAL AVP -Sales Bryan Bang Ang, PAL AVP - Marketing CJ M. de Jesus, PAL Marketing Activations Manager Pinky Armada Custodio, and PAL Japan Area Head Christopher D. Lebumfacil, among others, flew to Sapporo to meet with key local government officials led by Hokkaido Governor Harumi Takahashi.

The flag carrier (PAL) and the Hokkaido government pledged mutual cooperation to ensure the success of the new service between Sapporo and Manila.