BY JAY CHUA

PHILIPPINE Airlines yesterday launched its maiden flight to Chongqing, China with a delegation led by PAL chairman and chief executive officer Dr. Lucio C. Tan, his wife, Carmen, and ranking Filipino and Chinese officials that included PAL EVP Henry So Uy and PAL president Jaime J. Bautista.

Also in the delegation were Foreign Affairs undersecretary Franklin Ebdalin, Tourism undersecretary Eduardo Jarque and members of the travel, trade and business community.

The Airbus 320 Flight PR356 took off at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Centennial 2 at 10 a.m. for the three-hour trip to Chongqing, China's fourth largest city after Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen.

The brand-new Airbus aircraft seats 12 in Mabuhay (Business) Class and 144 in economy.

PAL is the only airline to fly twice a week to Chongqing which is famous for sculptured mountains that have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage sites

The newest tourism attraction in Chongqing, a major inland trading port at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, features a tour up the mighty rivers to view the Three Gorges Dam, the largest in the world and a major source of hydroelectric power.

Bautista said Chongqing has a population of 32 million, considered one of the most populated cities, engaged in heavy industries, agriculture and tourism.

"It is the fourth most advanced city in China and the mayor was here last July to sign a sister-city agreement with Manila," Bautista said.

He added that PAL is leading efforts to exploit the tourism potential not only of Chongqing but China as a whole.

"I think they have 100 million outbound tourists. China is the number one tourist arrival in Thailand and because of their increasing purchasing power, the mainlander would continue to travel."

Bautista said droves of Chinese tourists have been visiting major European cities so that majority of European carriers are now operating out of mainland China.

"We should take advantage of that (tourists) Bautista said, adding PAL would continue to identify routes there where it could grow and be profitable.

PAL flies twice a week to Chongqing, which could increase to thrice a week if the traffic improves.

On Tuesday, PAL will open a second destination in southwest China with the inaugural flight to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

With the addition of the two China points, PAL's international network now expands to 25 destinations in 13 countries and territories. The airline also flies to 18 cities in the Philippines.

PAL has grown to become the country's national flag carrier and largest airline. It currently operates a fleet of 34 aircraft including five Boeing 747-400, four Airbus A340-300s, eight Airbus A330-300s, 13 Airbus a320 and four Airbus A319s.